If I Only Had a Heart
by Cossettely
Summary: All was not well for Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley: her life was one misfortune after another. It came back to one man: Voldemort. By using an untested invention at the Ministry of Magic, Hermione takes her life and the lives of those she loves into her own hands to kill Voldemort back in his teenage years. When she arrives in the 1940's, however, all is not as it seems.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Welcome to "If I Only Had a Heart!" (credits for this title, of course, go to Harold Arlen and E. Y Harburg, who wrote the song for the Wizard of Oz) Anyway, this is my first fanfiction, so I appreciate any of kind of feedback, good or bad. So, ready and review please!**

**I own nothing, all characters/places/etc are owned by J.K Rowling.**

**Enjoy! :)**

**Note (1/12/14): Chapter recently updated. A few details added and errors fixed.**

**Chapter 1**

All was not well.

It had been five years since Voldemort had been defeated; five years since she kissed Ronald Weasley and thought her life to be changed for the better. Life would be good, removed of the constant threat of the greatest dark wizard of all time on the hunt. Alas, Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley had been wrong. Terribly wrong.

Life was a nightmare. Every night, she went to sleep listening to the sound of grunts, screams, crashing vases, her home being destroyed bit by bit. Every morning, she woke up to find Ronald, her dear husband, passed out on the couch, sometimes in the floor, reeking of alcohol, obviously hung over. At St. Mungo's, they identified it as post-traumatic stress disorder, caused by the final battle of Hogwarts, and the death of Fred Weasley. They had prescribed potions and spells of all kinds, memory charms even: nothing helped but the alcohol. Hermione was warned by the healers to stay away from him, from her own husband because he could harm her. There was nothing she could do to help him. And because she could not stand to see anyone or anything suffer, Hermione let him drink away his sorrows. She was forgotten.

"Ronald?" Hermione called on a Tuesday morning, hoping in vain that she would find the slightly plump, smiling Ron in the living room drinking tea and ready to greet her with a good-morning kiss. As she walked into the living room of their small flat, she was met with what had become the usual sight: a passed out Ron on the couch, skeletally thin and breathing in a labored manner. With a sigh, Hermione knelt beside him, gently shaking him awake.

"What?" Ron snapped, sitting up and rubbing his aching head, glaring at his wife. Hermione shrank back a little,

"I just wanted to see if you're alright." She replied soothingly, wandering for a moment if Ron would actually respond with kindness. Her hopes were quickly dashed. To her words, Ron scowled,

"Alright? How in Merlin's name could I be alright?" He questioned, attempting to stand and falling back to the couch, knocking up a cloud of dust and grime. It was all Hermione could do not to wrinkle up her nose at the noisome stench of alcohol and vomit. She pulled out her wand, casting a quick _scourgify! _To clean up the vomit.

"Ron, I'm just worried about you." She said quietly, grasping his arm to help him stand.

"Get away from me!" Ron yelled, pulling his arm away, his eyes wild. It was clear that the alcohol's effects were lasting longer than usual, "You don't really care about me; you can't help me!"

This accusation came up surprisingly often. The thing that hurt Hermione the most was that she knew Ron was right. She could not help him, for he had reached a place she could not follow. At this point, she could not even help herself, not with Ron constantly pulling her back down again. She loved him, most dearly, but she was sure that he no longer loved her.

That is when she made up her mind. No more countless nights like this. She couldn't stand it.

Hermione stood, brushing herself off, squaring her shoulders, looking her pathetic Ronald straight in the eye, "You're right, of course. I cannot help you where you are now. I could help you where you once were, but you've forgotten yourself, Ronald. I love you, but I can't stay married to a man that endangers my life every night."

"What are you saying?" Ron questioned, eyes narrowing.

"Ronald, I want a divorce."

* ' * ' *

Hermione bustled into the lift at the Ministry of Magic the next day, looking over to Harry Potter who was already standing in the lift. Not noticing the sad look on Harry's face, she began to speak to him in her usual brisk tone.

"Harry, I need to talk to you and Ginny, please. Ronald and I had a discussion, and-" She stopped, seeing the strange look on her friend's face, "What's wrong?"

"Hermione, you can't talk to Ginny." Harry replied, eyes downcast, blinking rapidly. Hermione stared at him, uncomprehending. The elevator came to a screeching halt at the Department of Mysteries, at which Hermione and Harry both stepped out. After graduating from Hogwarts, Harry, Hermione, and Ron all received job offers at the ministry, ranging from Aurors to Unspeakables. Harry, naturally, became an Auror along with Ron, but Hermione turned down this offer and accepted the one to become an Unspeakable. After everything she had gone through, everything she had seen, Hermione felt that she almost had to be an Unspeakable. Maybe, she could discover secrets no one else could, secrets that could prevent someone like Voldemort from ever rising to power again.

"Why not, Harry?" She questioned delicately, noting the pained expression on Harry's face. A sense of foreboding began to take hold.

"Hermione, the curse came back. Bad. She's unconscious." Harry said quietly. Of course. The curse. During the Battle of Hogwarts, one of Voldemort's curses struck Ginny. At the time, it did not appear to have any effect other than a large bruise on her abdomen where it hit. Then, several months later, she complained of a burning pain in that spot. Harry rushed her to St. Mungo's, but it was too late. The dark magic was already spreading throughout her body. The Healers managed to contain it to her abdomen, eliminating the possibility of children, but Ginny was safe. Or, so they though.

"How bad?" Hermione asked quietly. Tears began to slide down Harry's cheek, and Hermione could barely hear the words he uttered next,

"She's dying."

* ' * ' *

How could this happen? Hermione could not contain the sobs that racked through her body. Had she not suffered enough? Had she not seen enough friends and comrades die? Had she not watched her own parents killed before her eyes by a deranged escaped Death Eater two years ago? Had she not just told her husband, the man that she thought she loved more than anyone, that they needed to separate?

All of these woes- every single one- led back to one person: Voldemort. It was Voldemort who trained the Death Eaters to kill and drove them to the point of insanity with torture. It was Voldemort who tried to kill Harry, thus throwing the Golden Trio into the mad search for Horcruxes. It was Voldemort who cursed Ginny. If Voldemort had not lived, or had died long before the final battle, none of these terrible things would have happened. Hermione silently cursed the snake-like, devil. She could not bear to call him a man.

Hermione sat up a little straighter, an idea, a crazy idea, forming in her mind. _If Voldemort had died earlier, none of these things would have happened._

"This is madness. . ." Hermione muttered, standing up and for the second time that day, brushing herself off. She shook her head quickly, attempting to brush off the fuzzy feeling but unable to. She was hidden in a small cleaning closet, seldom used, deep in the Department of Mysteries, sure that no one would find her there, "It is impossible." She added, attempting to banish her little idea.

Alas, it would not go away. She felt light, airy, unreal. What had she always been told? Terrible things happen to wizards who meddle in time, she had been told, but what was one more terrible thing going to do to her. Honestly? Kill her? That could hardly cause more pain than what she was feeling at the moment. She could save those she loved: great successes come with great risks.

What if she managed to come back? Would she still be married, maybe to someone else? Would she even know Harry Potter? Would he even be famous? The what-ifs were endless, but Hermione could determine one thing: if she succeeded, Ron would not be an alcoholic, Ginny would not be dying, and Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Sirius, and all of the others would be alive. Even if their fates turned out to be different than the ones she knew, they would be alive. They would have a chance to live.

A chance to live, to have a long, full life.

That was her deciding factor.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione left the cleaning closet, carefully looking around to ensure that no one was in the corridor. The consequences of being caught in her next act would be severe, making Azakaban look inviting. She walked stealthily down the hallway, gripping her wand tightly in her hand, poised to defend herself if the need arose. Old habits die hard.

After ducking and dashing through corridors, carefully avoiding any other Unspeakables, Hermione arrived at the room she wanted. Gently turning the handle, she looked around one more time before entering the room.

"_Lumos_." She muttered, the tip of her wand coming alight. In the center of the room was an enormous hourglass. It stretched from floor to ceiling, almost fifteen feet, and was easily twenty feet around. In it, silvery mist swirling, taking on vague shapes from time to time. It was essentially a giant time-turner. Long term time travel: the newest unproven exploration of the Ministry. Luckily, Hermione was working on the project, and had special access to the room, and the giant time turner. _Well,_ Hermione thought, _Let's hope it works._

The uncertainty should have unsettled her, but something inside of her had snapped. Uncertainty be damned. She had a chance, and she was going to take it.

Hermione carefully walked up to the hourglass, hoping that no one entered the room. As a precaution, she cast a ward that would alert her if anyone was within ten feet of the room. Upon closer inspection of the hourglass, Hermione saw that there was a rope, similar to a bell pull, that turned the hourglass on its huge axis, along with a silver rope to drape around the person that was doing the time traveling. Hermione picked up the silver rope and tied it loosely around her waist, hoping that it would be sufficient. Then, clutching her trusty beaded bag, she grasped the rope that would turn the hourglass. For a moment, she hesitated, not knowing if she would ever return to this time. Then, she thought of Ron laying on the ground, withering away amongst empty bottles, strengthened her resolve. She would go back in time, to when Voldemort was weaker, when he was in school. As a baby would be too soon; everyone was innocent as a baby. But the Hogwarts student Voldemort was not innocent. She would kill him.

And with that thought, she pulled the rope.

The room began to swirl around her as she thought of Hogwarts, of the 1940's, of Tom Marvolo Riddle who would one day become Voldemort. The fuzzy feeling in her head slowly began to fade and she began to panic; what if this didn't work?

The room was extending and Hermione felt like she was choking. Spinning, that's what she was doing, spinning. Suddenly, an alarm went off and Hermione knew that someone had entered the room, but she was spinning too fast to see who. Someone tall, short dark hair, male or female she could not tell.

Blackness settled over her, she felt soft ground beneath her feet and remembered no more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Well, here it is, chapter two! A little more background information, but, the main story should start picking up soon. Thank you to those who have read so far. Please, do not hesitate to leave a review: I appreciate all kinds of feedback.

Cheers!

**Chapter Two**

When Hermione awoke, she became aware of being in a vaguely familiar place, with curtains drawn around her and a concerned looking woman gazing at her,

"Oh good, you're awake! The Headmaster will want to know. Professor Dippet has been most worried about you."

Dippet, Headmaster. Hogwarts, that's where she was! She was in Hogwarts, and Armando Dippet was Headmaster, meaning that she was sometime in the 1940's. She had done it! Just to put on a good show, Hermione asked weakly,

"Excuse me mum, but where am I?"

"My dear, you are in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now, no more chit-chat, just lay there for a few more moments and get your bearings." The nurse ordered bossily, though not unkindly.

The next thing Hermione became aware of was a pounding in her head as she attempted to sit up. Was this how Ronald felt after a long night of drinking? How could that be appealing to anyone? Hermione then began to snicker, and then, unable to contain herself, burst out into laughter, though she could not say why. After a solid five minutes of laughter, Hermione burst into tears. Bloody hell, what was wrong with her?

The nurse gave her a sympathetic look and a calming draught, which soothed Hermione's nerves considerably. After a few more hours, Hermione felt strong enough to stand, and dressed in preparation for her meeting with the Headmaster. Up until this moment, Hermione forgot to think of a back story for her mysterious entrance, and now her stomach seemed to be filled with twisting Devil's Snare.

"Dear, the Headmaster will see you now." The nurse said, taking Hermione's arm to offer some extra support and leading her to the eagle statue.

_Alright, Hermione, think. It's nineteen forty something. Think of something, you have to think of something. . . _Hermione thought frantically.

"Just go on up those stairs and knock on the door." The nurse encouraged her with a friendly smile. Hermione made note of this woman's kindness,

"Thank you, for looking after me." She responded genuinely. It was nice to have someone who just cared for you without asking a vast multitude of questions. That was about to change, Hermione was sure.

"Not a problem, my dear. You gave up quite a fright when a student came running into the hospital wing saying there was a girl laying unconscious in front of the main entrance. . ." The nurse trailed off, but then smiled again, "Well, no matter. You're alright now, aren't you? Now, go on and see the Headmaster, and don't be anxious; he's a nice man." She dropped her voice to a whisper, "A bit of a push-over at times to." She winked at Hermione. Hermione nodded, turned around and beginning to mount the steps, realizing she had not even heard the nurse utter a password. In fact, she did not even know the nurse's name. Feeling slightly guilty, Hermione knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Came a man's voice from beyond the door. Taking a deep breath, Hermione turned the handle and entered the room.

Dumbledore's Office, or, rather, the Headmaster's Office, was a lot different than Hermione remembered. Although she was not in the office nearly as much as Harry usually was, Hermione still had a certain amount of fondness for the place. It had been stuffed with books, one of her favorite things in the entire world. Gadgets and odds and ends had been shoved in every possible corner, giving the office a cluttered but homey feel.

The office of Professor Dippet was quite different. For one, it was astoundingly neat. . . almost _too_ neat. Bookshelves were neatly arranged by subject, no loose papers were to be found, and a variety of boxes were charmed to float well above head level to reduce the clutter on the floor.

"Ah! The mysterious Miss. . ." Professor Dippet greeted her with a warm, though not necessarily welcoming smile.

"Blishwick." Hermione offered, supplying the least known pureblood name she could think of in half a moment. After all, she did not want to run into anyone who thought her to be kin if she picked a common last name, "My name is Hermione Blishwick."

"Miss Blishwick, it is a pleasure to welcome you to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am Headmaster Armando Dippet." Professor Dippet introduced himself, then gestured to a vacant chair across from his desk, "Please, take a seat." Hermione obeyed as the headmaster also settled in his own desk chair, "Would you care for some tea?" He asked.

"Yes, please." Hermione replied, realizing how thirsty she was. Professor Dippet rang a delicate silver bell. With a loud _crack!, _a house elf apparated into the room with a matching silver tea tray, which was placed on the desk before the elf disapparated from the room.

"Sugar?" Dippet questioned,

"One cube, please." Hermione replied politely. So far, the headmaster appeared amiable, but she feared his future questions. Students don't show up randomly in the middle of the Hogwarts grounds, especially since the grounds were supposed to be impenetrable by apparition. After Dippet stirred her tea and handed it to Hermione, she took one long sip, waiting for the first question.

"I must admit, Miss Blishwick, your circumstances upon your arrival were strange, to say the least." When Hermione did not reply, he continued, "Even though I have talked to you only for a short time, I do not think you to mean ill will, however, as Headmaster of this school, it is my duty to protect the school. So, I must know, what is your business here, Miss Blishwick?"

"Sir. . ." Hermione began, then sighed, "Sir, I do not know. I do not even know how I came to be here. You see, my family and I moved down to Australia to live earlier this year. My parents wanted us to be away from Grindelwald and all, and the muggle war. Then, one day, I suppose it was yesterday, actually, I was wandering around in the attic of our new house; the previous owner had left a great deal of objects and I am in the process of going through them all. Anyway, I heard screams downstairs. . ." Hermione paused, swallowing hard, "When I arrived downstairs, my parents were in the living room, apparently safe and sound, but there was a strange look in their eyes. When they caught sight of me, they was no recognition. They asked who I was, what I was doing in their house. . . then, there was a flash of blue light. And then, I woke up here." It was a thin story, and it sounded horridly false in her ears, but there was a note of real pain in Hermione's voice when she talked of her "parents" not remembering her. That part was true; her parents did chase her out of her own house, and it was because of Voldemort.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Hermione awaited Dippet's reply, keeping her eyes downcast, allowing a tear to run down her cheek. It was a fragile lie, one that could easily unravel with a bit of research. It needed to seem as authentic as possible.

"That certainly is a strange occurrence." Dippet mused, though there was a hint of pity in his voice.

"Yes, sir. I cannot explain it myself. I thought it odd that my parents became suddenly afraid of Gindelwald. I can't help but think that he had something to do with it." Hermione paused, shaking her head, "I don't understand. My parents were intellectuals, researchers on botany. How could that put them in danger?"

The question hung in the air for several moments,

"Sometimes, things happen that we don't fully understand." He offered, and Hermione heartily agreed with him, "Your parents schooled you, then?" He asked in a more businesslike tone. Hermione nodded,

"Yes, my parents, and my aunt that lived in Australia. I used to stay the summers with her, and she taught me a lot about how to defend myself."

"Really? What is your aunt's name?"

"Ah, well. . ." Hermione swallowed hard, "Was, you mean. My Aunt Bertha passed away several years ago. Bertha Blishwick." An uncomfortable silence took over the room. It appeared that the nurse was not kidding when she hinted that Dippet was a bit soft. (Not that Hermione was complaining about this fortunate trait, of course!)

"Miss Blishwick, I trust you are still school age?" He asked.

"Yes, sir, I just turned seventeen years old." Hermione replied, butterflies forming in the pit of her stomach. This was it!

"I would like to extend an offer to you, Miss Blishwick, to enter into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in your seventh year!" Professor Dippet exclaimed with a truly warm smile.

"Headmaster! I truly am speechless!" This was not a lie. Hermione could feel herself getting chocked up. She dearly loved Hogwarts, "Thank you so much sir!"

"You are very welcome. Now, I offer this on two conditions: one is that you will take a test to place you in your classes to ensure fairness. The other is a bit more painful to you, I'm sure, but I would like to know more about you and your parents. Maybe there is something I can do to help you get them back."

Hermione had never felt more rotten in her entire life. Here was a man that did not even know her, offering her a place to live and learn, and offering to help what he thought was a mere depressed girl. And she had lied to him. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Hermione whispered,

"Agreed. Thank you, sir." Dippet smiled and nodded,

"Of course. Now, I highly doubt that you will want to be sorted with the other first years, but I am afraid, for the sake of fairness, that that is what you will have to do. However, I can go ahead and give you your entrance exams so you may get your schedule early and familiarize yourself with the castle. You see, the rest of the students do not arrive until a few days from now." Hermione nodded,

"Yes sir, I would appreciate that." She chuckled, "I tend to have trouble finding my way in a new place the first day." Humble, nervous schoolgirl. Yes, that was the approach that would be best.

"In that case, I will also see to it that a Prefect personally take you on a tour of our school." The Headmaster replied, beginning to gather some papers from a box he conjured down from the ceiling, "Now, here are your brief examinations. If you have any questions about procedure, do not hesitate to ask." He said, handing her a rather thick stack of parchment, "There is an extra desk just down those stairs." Hermione followed his direction, noticing that there was ink and a quill already on the desk. She also noticed something else: a beautiful grand piano standing in the middle of the lower part of the office. Running her hands over the pearly white ivory and luscious ebony, Hermione could not help but think how curious an object such as this was in a Headmaster's office.

"Do you play piano, Miss Blishwick?" Dippet inquired curiously.

"Only a little sir." Hermione replied, quickly drawing her hand back from the piano.

"Ah, well, on to your examinations, then."

* ' * ' *

For the following three hours or so, Hermione briskly moved through the entrance examinations, surprised at how easy they seemed to her. The three years of training in the Ministry must have helped her greatly.

When she gave the examinations back to Dippet, he happily informed her that she qualified for all NEWT level classes if she so wished. Hermione accepted this offer, but turned down Divination for a free class period. After all, she would need time to plan the death of Voldemort, and Divination was a load of rubbish anyway.

"Very good, Miss Blishwick, you may proceed down the stairs where our Head Boy is waiting to show you around the school. For the time being, I am afraid you must sleep in the Hospital Wing for the next two nights, since you do not yet have a house, but that won't be so bad, will it?"

"No sir. Thank you again for your generosity." Hermione replied graciously, meaning her thanks whole-heartedly.

"You are most welcome, Miss Blishwick. If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to approach me." Taking this as her dismissal, Hermione nodded once more and then made her way back to the door and down the stairs.

"Miss Blishwick, I take it?" A deep male voice inquired as soon as she exited the staircase,

"Yes, and you are?" Hermione asked, turning to the source. Her question was answered the moment she laid eyes on him: Head Boy badge gleaming on his perfectly crisp robes, eyes deep and dark as night, pale porcelain skin glowing, looking more of a handsome man than a boy,

"Oh, how could I be so rude?" He responded, extending a pale, spidery hand, "I'm Tom, Tom Riddle."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Well, welcome to Chapter 3! I apologize that it took longer than predicted, but complications with my wisdom teeth sealed that deal.

The names of ancestors and mostly made up, so I apologize if they're incorrect.

I do NOT own Harry Potter!

Read and review, please. Cheers!

**Chapter 3**

Hermione stared at the hand extended to her, frozen in place, not sure what to do.

"Oh, you can shake it if you want." Tom Riddle teased with a cheeky smirk, his voice light and easy. Snapping out of her momentary trance, Hermione grasped his hand briefly,

"Yes, um, sorry Mr. Riddle, it was I who was rude." She released his hand, "I'm Hermione Blishwick. Professor Dippet told me that there would be a Prefect to show me around. . .?"

"Ah, yes, well, I'll show you around, Ms. Blishwick. You see, I am no longer a Prefect, but Head Boy. An unexpected honor to be sure, but a welcome one." Tom replied with another smirk. When Hermione did not reply to this boast, he added, "You do not yet have a house, do you?"

"No, not yet. Professor Dippet told me that I would have to wait until the first years are sorted." Hermione paused, "Could you tell me a little bit more about the houses? I'm afraid I do not yet know too much about them." _Good, Hermione. Humble, nervous schoolgirl. _She reminded herself mentally. Tom nodded,

"Certainly. Here, I'll show you the way to the Great Hall as we talk." Although the path to the Great Hall was one of the most familiar to Hermione, she took care to trail a little further behind Tom, "Well, Ms. Blishwick, there are four houses here at Hogwarts: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Each has their generic characteristics associated with each one: Slytherin is for the ambitious, Gryffindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the clever, and Hufflepuff for. . . well, just don't worry about Hufflepuff. I doubt you'll have the misfortune to end up in _that_ house." He paused, chuckling a little as he talked about Hufflepuff, which made Hermione's blood boil._ This is Tom Riddle, after all. No, wait, this is _**Voldemort**_. Get a grip!_

"But. . . how will I be sorted?" Hermione asked in a slightly distressed tone. Again, Tom laughed at her,

"Calm yourself, Ms. Blishwick, the Sorting Hat will be placed on your head. It will then determine your house, and it is hardly every wrong. Nothing to fret about." He paused as they stepped into the Great Hall, gesturing around broadly, "This is the Great Hall. It's ceiling-"

"Is charmed to look like the sky outside." Hermione finished automatically, then quickly added, "Erm, I've read a bit of _Hogwarts, A History _before I came."

"Strange that you should know about the ceiling of the Great Hall before the four houses." Tom remarked in an offhand sort of way, "Of course, the structure of your edition of the book might be different than my own."

"Do you read much, Mr. Riddle?" Hermione asked politely, trying to steer the conversation away from her awkward lapse in knowledge. Tom Riddle was no fool, and she could not risk him finding her to be suspicious in any way. She wasn't too sure what would happen if he discovered her mission, but one thing she was sure of was that it would not be good. Not at all.

"Oh, too much, some would say. I disagree; one can never have enough knowledge."

"Exactly! I think my biggest pet peeve is when someone asks 'Why do we have to learn this?' I don't think the dimwits understand that we learn to know how to learn, and your life isn't laid out in stone. We never know what we will encounter as we move through it, and what we will have to know." Hermione burst out, unable to contain her fiery personality for a few moments.

"Ms. Blishwick. . ." Tom replied after a few moments of contemplation over her words, "I think we have more in common than I originally thought, but I must ask: do you believe in destiny?"

Did she believe in destiny? She would once say yes. After all, there were prophecies and fates that would be carried out. But now was different; now was time travel. So was it her destiny to come back in time? Had it already been planned? She seriously doubted it. But then, if it was not planned, was there destiny?

Tom studied her carefully as she mulled over her thoughts. Finally, she answered,

"No. You can always change your fate." Tom nodded,

"I thought you would say so." Nothing else. No agreement or dissent, just an acknowledgement of her answer. After a few more moments of silence, he cleared his throat, "Well, how about I show you to the library then? There is a vast collection of rare books in the. . . "

And, just like that, Tom Riddle was back to being the helpful, slightly annoying Head Boy. The moment was gone, but it had happened. For an instant, Hermione had connected with the boy who would become the greatest Dark Wizard of all time. If she could get close to him, her mission to murder would be more simple.

The thought both scared and excited her.

* ' * ' *

The following day passed quickly enough, with Tom proving to be fairly amiable company. No more matters of any great importance were discussed, but Hermione did _almost_ enjoy the idle chatter with him. (After all, she would not allow herself to actually admit to enjoying it.) Tom was very knowledgeable about the castle, though there were some questions he refused to answer, and he seemed to love learning almost as much as Hermione did. Almost.

That night, Hermione bade Tom goodnight around eight o'clock, making her way back into the hospital wing where she would spend the night.

That was when she encountered the mirror.

Oh, no, there was nothing special about this mirror; it was of average size, shape, and no magical abilities. No, what startled Hermione was her appearance. She looked seventeen again, her hair slightly wild, eyes large and brown, body slightly curvy and petite; she just looked a _better_ seventeen than she ever had before. It was strange, to say the least, but many things were strange; she had just spent a fairly enjoyable day with Voldemort, after all.

And yet, as she laid down to sleep, she could not chase away how warm and alive his hand was as she shook it for the first time.

* ' * ' *

"Now, students, we have an unusual addition to our Sorting Ceremony this evening." Professor Dippet announced, beaming, "As you know, Hogwarts does not usually allow late transfers, but in this case, we made a special exception with miss Hermione Blishwick."

Silence fell across the room as Hermione made her way up onto the the Sorting Stool. Sorting was the most terrifying moment of her life when she was eleven, and even at seventeen, it was equally as terrifying. Hundreds of eyes took her in, sized her up, as she awaited the placement of the tattered hat upon her head.

_Ah, Hermione. . . Blishwick. An interesting name_. The hat's voice appeared inside her head, rough but jolly, _Let's see, what to do with you. Brains, no doubt, courage abundant, but something else. You have a drive to murder, a drive to kill. That's dark, Miss Blishwick, very dark. But, this is your head, your thoughts, yourself; do what you want with it. Meanwhile, I'll just do what I want to._

"Hmm. . . . better be, SLYTHERIN!" The hat announced to enthusiastic applause from the Slytherin House table. Hermione jumped up off the stool brightly, smiling as her new house mates. As she strolled down the stairs, Tom Riddle caught her eye, vaguely gesturing to an empty seat beside him. Heart fluttering, Hermione settled down next to the Head Boy, shaking hands with the little gang that sat around him, trying desperately to remember names: Abraxus Malfoy and Alphard Black were the two that looked the most like their descendants, then there was William Rosier, Peter Avery, John Wilkes, and Clayton Lestrange.

Soon, after the anxious first years had been safely placed into their respective houses, a delicious feast materialized upon the table. As Hermione took some rather large bites of food, she noted with delight that the quality of Hogwart's food was still just as good- if not better- than she remembered from her own time.

"So, Blishwick- you don't mind if I leave off the miss, do you?- what brings your lovely self to Hogwarts this year?" Lestrange inquired with a flirtatious smile. Hermione purposefully lowered her eyes, pretending to hide warming cheeks,

"Of course not, Lestrange. Well, it's kind of a long story, but I'm afraid Grindelwald drove my family out of Europe and eventually managed to erase my parent's memory of me." She blinked away artificial tears, "But let's not focus on that; me and my depressing story. Tell me about yourself." She coaxed with a tiny smile.

"Well, I'm-"

"Sorry I'm late, gents." Came a silky female voice. Hermione noticed the raised eyebrows of the boys around her, and when she turned, Hermione could instantly see why. Even though Hermione was (as Ronald quite intelligently pointed out their fourth year) a girl, she had no trouble admitting that the girl standing before her was pretty. No, not pretty, _gorgeous_. Dark, curly hair framed a heart-shaped face, pale skin, a coy smile playing out on lush red lips. She had a slender willowy frame that seemed to moved with such grace that she must be floating. Somehow, plain Slytherin robes accentuated an hourglass figure, showing off an impressive amount of cleavage without being too risqué.

"Now now, what have I told you about missing the Sorting?" Tom chided teasingly.

"Not to do it, of course." She responded easily with another grin, "But since when do I listen to what _you_ say, Tommy dear?" She gracefully sat down next to Hermione, "Now, who are you?"

"Oh, sorry, I'm Hermione Blishwick. I'm a transfer student." Hermione supplied. The girl raised an eyebrow,

"Ooo, a transfer? We never have those." She shook Hermione's hand, "I'm Naginski Kosmachevskaia." At Hermione's strange expression, she laughed, "Oh, I know, those damn Russians! Kosmachevskaia's too much of a mouthful."

"Now, where were you during the Sorting? Come on, do tell." Abraxus Malfoy inquired. Naginski turned to him as she spooned some mashed potatoes onto her plate,

"Oh, this and there. Had better things to do than watch terrified first years get assigned to Houses." She paused, shooting an apologetic look at Hermione, "Except for you, of course. You know, it is rather exciting to have another seventh year girl here. The ones in our dormitory are so daft, you'll see." She took a bite of potatoes, " I think we shall be great friends, Hermione." She added with conviction.

"I'm sure we shall, Naginski." Hermione replied, sincerely hoping that she was correct. After all, Naginski seemed to be on rather good standing with the group Hermione now found herself a part of; it would be helpful to get close to Tom.

The night went on with a constant stream of chatter, and Hermione found that the boys and girl with whom she was sitting were not all too different than the boys and girls of her time. At the conclusion of dinner, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder,

"If you ever should need anything, let me know." Tom spoke gently with a small smile, "I must go and deal with the prefects now." And with that, he was gone. Confused with his sudden kindness, Hermione gazed after him for a moment before she noticed Naginski watching her closely,

"It's always a good thing to be on Tom's good side. He really is a nice lad." Naginski offered as they began their descent to the dungeons, "Handsome too. And a good bit of fun." She added with a wink.

"What do you mean, Naginski?" Hermione asked, confused. Naginski laughed lightly,

"You're new. You'll see." She replied, flouncing around the corner, "Oh, and so you don't have to spit out Russian names all of the time, you can call me Nagini. Everyone does."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **Welcome to Chapter 4! I apologize for the slightly longer updating time: wisdom teeth drama and a particularly nasty English paper are to blame. Thank you to those who reviewed, and here is a brief response:

Hippothestrowl: Thank you very much for your formatting suggestions! Truth be told, I had not even noticed that indentations and paragraph breaks were not working. I hope that this chapter will add a bit more to the characterization of Tom and Nagini. Thanks again for reviewing!

RunWithTheWolf: I understand your suggestions with sentence structure, and I have tried to add some more variety this time around. As far as Hermione's characterization goes, I think we all have the one event that can completely undo us. She starts to gain a bit more of her resolve back, however, I promise. :)

Now, on with the story!

**Chapter 4**

_"Ronald, won't you please just calm down?"_

_ "Calm down! Who are you to tell me to calm down!" His harsh voice retorted, eyes narrowed in fury, "You don't know, you can't know, how it feels to lose him."_

_ "We all miss Fred." Hermione replied softly, touching his arm gently, trying to call him back to her._

_ "It was him, you know. Voldemort. He ruined our lives."_

_ "I know, Ronald."_

_ "We should have stopped him before he could."_

_ "I know, Ronald."_

Hermione awoke with a start, her breath slightly heavier than usual. She sat up in her four poster bed, pushing back the emerald green sheets. The memory had been so vivid, so real. She could practically reach out and touch Ron. But it was a dream. A realistic one, to be sure, but a dream nonetheless.

Hermione glanced over at the clock sitting on her nightstand and groaned: 6:30. Not enough time to be awake, but not enough time to be asleep either. With another groan, she swung her legs out from under the warm sheets and stood up.

She needed to catch up on her reading anyway.

* ' * ' *

As Hermione arrived in the Great Hall, she was not at all surprised to see that although she was early, Tom Riddle was already at breakfast. What did surprise Hermione, however, was his companion; Nagini sat across from the future Dark Lord, engaging him in what seemed to be an animated conversation.

_Merlin, he's even laughing! _Hermione thought, confused. Why did Voldemort have friends? He was supposed to be dark, evil, easy to hate. _No, he had to be charismatic to gather so many followers. _Hermione corrected herself as she neared the nearly deserted Slytherin table,

"Good morning, Riddle, Nagini." Hermione said brightly, hoping the cheerfulness did not seem forced. The last thing she needed was them to be suspicious of her.

"Good morning, Ms. Blishwick. Please, join us." Tom replied with a sweep of his hand and a small smile.

Hermione nodded, "Don't mind if I do." She replied, sitting beside Nagini. The shared name with Voldemort's future pet and horcrux was disturbing, to say the least; since Nagini was so close to Tom Riddle, the occurrence being a coincidence seemed impossible. Still, it also seemed impossible that Voldemort liked someone enough to name the only living thing that he almost cared about after them. At the moment, Hermione's musings were interrupted by Nagini,

"Good morning, Hermione! Sleep well your first night in the dormitories?"

"Yes, for the most part. A little cold for my taste, but I'll manage." Hermione replied as she reached for a piece of toast.

"Well, the dormitories are down under the lake, so they do get a bit chilly at times." Tom supplied, also taking a piece of toast, "Of course, you should be used to being down under, right?" He teased.

Hermione stared blankly at him for a little too long, "Oh yes, Australia! I'm sorry, I'm a little slow this morning. Guess I didn't get enough sleep. . ." Hermione replied quickly, remembering her rather weak back-story. Tom nodded, seeming to accept her explanation.

"Oh, by the time you have the _pleasure_ of meeting the other girls in our house, you won't sleep at all. They'll be clucking like hens all bloody night!" Nagini exclaimed with a light laugh, ignoring the stares she got from the few other students in the quiet Great Hall at her loose use of language. Tom, however, did not even seem to notice.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, slightly anxious. Of all the things Hogwarts taught her, coping with gossip was not one of them.

Nagini shrugged, "They're idiots. The whole lot of them." She replied carelessly, taking a rather large gulp of pumpkin juice.

At that moment, there was heard a noise so offensive to the ear that Hermione fought the urge to visibly cringe: giggling. Intense giggling. When Nagini rolled her eyes, Hermione's fears were confirmed; these were the lovely house members of whom Nagini was so incredibly fond.

"And then- oh my, I almost fainted- and then, she said 'Well, he only kissed me a few times.' A FEW times! Merlin, they practically acted like they were married already." One girl, petite with straight brown hair and unremarkable features announced, eliciting gasps from the other female.

"Oh, Florence! You don't say!" This girl looked suspiciously like Pansy Parkinson. Hermione remembered her bragging that her family had been in Slytherin for generations. Well, this must be a great grandmother or grandmother.

When the two reached the Slytherin table, they stopped, "Good morning, Tom! My, don't you look dashing." The girl identified as Florence greeted with a suggestive smile.

"Ah, good morning, Florence! You're looking especially lovely today." Tom replied, mimicking her enthusiasm in a far too convincing tone, complete with a smile that made even Hermione feel slightly giddy. With another atrocious giggle, the pair of girls turned to Nagini,

"Hello, Nagini. I trust you had a good summer?" The girl Hermione assumed to be a Parkinson asked icily. Nagini flashed them an award-winning smile,

"Oh, yes, it was. Don't remember half of it, but I assume it was good. That's what Tom told me, anyway." The two stared at her in shock, mouths slightly open. After a long silence, they turned to Hermione,

"You must be our transfer student." Florence stated flatly.

Hermione smiled, "Yes, I'm Hermione Blishwick, and you are?"

"Florence Greengrass, and this is Lucille Parkinson."

Lucille smirked, "How do you do?"

"Well, thank you." Hermione replied politely, but did not offer anything more.

"I think we best be going now. Blishwick, Nagini. . . Tom." Florence said, adding extra emphasis on Tom's name before the pair was gone in another fit of giggles.

Nagini rolled her eyes, "One day, I'm going to hex the stupidity out of them." She commented when the girls were not quite out of earshot.

"I think that to be quite impossible, Nagini." Tom remarked dryly.

"Riddle, Nagini," Came the voice of Clayton Lestrange as he sauntered up to the table, accompanied by Abraxus Malfoy and William Rosier, "Miss Blishwick." As he pronounced her assumed name, he picked up Hermione's hand and pressed his lips gracefully to the back of her hand. Although she tried to stop it, this brought a slight blush to Hermione's cheeks, but she quickly recovered as a picture of Bellatrix appeared in her head,

"Good morning, Mr. Lestrange, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Rosier." Hermione greeted politely.

"So, I trust your first night in the dorms was comfortable?" Lestrange asked, brows knitted in concern.

"Oh, knock it off Lestrange. She's not going to sleep with you yet; it's only the second day she's been here." Nagini commented in a similar tone to that she would use when discussing the weather.

"Nagini!" Malfoy said in shock, but at this reaction, Nagini threw back her head and laughed.

And, still laughing, she made her exit from the Great Hall.

* ' * ' *

"Miss Blishwick, what class do you have first?" Tom Riddle asked politely as the group of Slytherins rose from the table.

Hermione replied after a quick glance to her schedule, "I have NEWT Transfiguration." Tom raised his eyebrows,

"You must be quite intelligent. Not hard to guess, really." He said while fixating those impossibly dark eyes upon her own.

"Thank you, Mr. Riddle. It is kind of you to say."

"It just so happens that I am in your class as well. Would you like to accompany me there?" Tom asked her in another tone of perfect politeness. Hermione caught sight of Florence and Lucille, heads together, shooting jealous looks in her direction.

"Why, yes, I would. Your kindness is much appreciated, Mr. Riddle. I would be hopelessly lost." Hermione said, giving him her most charming smile. In truth, she had to fight the urge to gag; Hermione Granger never sucked up (as Harry and Ron called it) to anyone. _Well, except a teacher perhaps. But that's only because-_

Her internal monologue was interrupted by Tom, who smirked and said in a mock exasperated tone,

"What can I say? So many would be. . ."

Hermione exclaimed in the same tone, "Oh, well aren't you a martyr!" He sighed,

"It is difficult sometimes, you know."

"Mr. Riddle, we're going to be late for class."

"Of course, my apologies. Right this way." As they began to exit the Great Hall, a loud exclamation came from behind them,

"Oh Florence, you _know_ he's only being polite. Tom is helpful to anyone, even those who don't _deserve_ his attention." Lucille said loudly, and Hermione was sure that it was not a coincidence, however, she ignored the girl. Tom, on the other hand, turned towards Hermione,

"Miss Blishwick, how could I be so rude? Allow me to take your books." Before she could protest, he took her bag from her hands and slung it across his shoulder. Surprised gasps from Florence and Lucille were heard. To add even more to the drama, Tom offered Hermione his arm.

And, although she was cringing on the inside, Hermione could not help but feel satisfaction at the horrified squeaks she heard as she accepted it.

* ' * ' *

"Now, Albus Dumbledore is the Transfiguration professor. He is the head of Gryffindor House, so he can be a bit dramatic at times. He's very knowledgeable though, and even though _I_ don't care for him, many people do. Perhaps you'll like him." Tom said as they neared the Transfiguration classroom.

"Oh, I'm sure I will. Transfiguration is one of my favorite subjects." Hermione replied happily, glad that she would finally see one of her favorite professors.

"I find it to be quite interesting as well." As Tom said this, they arrived in the classroom. In truth, it did not look much different from the Transfiguration classroom that Professor McGonagall kept in her time. Neat, but slightly cluttered, with cages both empty and house various animals lining the walls, a chalkboard crammed with tiny handwriting at the front of the room, and books scattered across the desks. Overall, it was quite cozy, and Hermione liked it.

She looked around briefly once more, "Do we have assigned seats?"

"No, not usually. Everyone tends to stick to their houses, though. We have this class with Gryffindor students." Even though Tom controlled his emotions quite well, she could detect a hint of dislike in his voice, "Well, I think I'll sit towards the front there with Avery and Rosier. Join us, if you would like."

"I will. I do not yet know anybody else, and I would rather stay with my house-mates anyway." Hermione said, again nearly choking on her manufactured affections for the future Death Eaters, but she knew it had to be done to get close enough to Tom to kill him.

Only when she received strange glances from the other students and Rosier raised his eyebrows at her did Hermione realize that she was still holding Tom Riddle's arm. Trying to hide her embarrassment, she nodded at Tom as she released his arm,

"Thank you for escorting me, Mr. Riddle. It was most kind of you." She used a formal tone, hoping to dispel any rumors she knew were already brewing. Tom, matching her tone, replied,

"You are most welcome, Ms. Blishwick. As Head Boy, it is my duty to serve." There was, however, a smirk on his face as he sat on the opposite side of Rosier. On Rosier's other side, Avery sat.

"Is this seat taken?" Hermione asked Avery.

"Oh, not at all. Here." He quickly moved his books out of the chair.

"Thank you." Hermione said, sitting down in the now empty seat and bending down to fish her books out of her bag. Then, however, she noticed her bag was not there. Momentarily confused, she looked up and saw Tom gazing at her with that same smirk, "Tom, may I have my bag please?"

"Yes, Ms. Blishwick. Sorry, so silly of me, I forgot I was carrying it." He stood, bringing the bag over to her and setting it down next to her chair, "My apologies."

"Oh, it's not problem. Thank you for carrying it." She responded as he nodded and returned to his seat. Hermione then grabbed the rather thick Transfiguration book, (Professor Dippet had supplied her with used books until she could buy her own), and set it on the desk. As she went to grab her quill and ink, Avery cleared his throat,

"Hello, Ms. Blishwick. I'm Peter Avery, if you don't remember. I know you have a lot of names to learn."

"Yes, hello Mr. Avery. I must ask, does everyone use the titles all of the time?" She questioned, rolling out some parchment.

He laughed, "Not unless if you want to."

"Well, then. Call me Blishwick, and I'll call you Avery. Deal?"

"Deal, Blishwick." Avery responded with a small smile, "How are you getting on here at Hogwarts on your second day?" He asked conversationally.

"Quite well, thanks. I rather-" She was interrupted by a pleasant male voice.

"Good Morning, students!" Hermione could almost leap for joy as she heard a voice she never thought she would hear again. Albus Dumbledore arrived at the front of the classroom, beaming at all of his students. He looked considerably younger, with auburn hair instead of white and a far shorter beard, "I trust you all had nice summers?" There was a murmur of consent, "And completed your summer homework?" At this, many students attempted to advert their eyes and look as nonchalant as possible, "It is due in three days times, for those of you who failed to complete it. Good luck." A chuckle moved through the room. Professor Dumbledore was obviously well-liked, although Tom barely seemed to be paying attention.

"Sorry I'm late, professor." Nagini announced as she walked through the door, quickly making her way over to the empty seat beside Hermione.

Professor Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, "Might I ask why you are late, Miss Kosmachevskaia?"

"Well, you see sir, I got lost." She said innocently, her eyes wide. The students chuckled at this as well. Even Tom smirked, and Hermione could not help but chuckle because it reminded her of Ron and Harry on their first day of Transfiguration.

"I see, Miss Kosmachevskaia. We'll have to make sure that a seventh year student does not get lost walking to her classroom that she has also been attending for seven years." Dumbledore replied, the trademark twinkle in his eye. Nagini nodded,

"Absolutely, sir." Hermione could not tell if Nagini's supposed seriousness was out of affection or disrespect for Dumbledore. _I don't suppose it matters, really. Nagini seems to just do as she pleases. I wonder how she follows Voldemort then. . . she doesn't seem to be one for taking orders. _Hermione mused. As Dumbledore began to speak once more, however, she ended her thoughts for the moment.

"Today, we will be beginning with something a little easy to start off the year: the Incarcerous

spell. Can anyone tell me what this spell does?" Immediately, out of pure instinct, Hermione's hand shot up in the air, "Ah, our new student. Miss Blishwick, is it not?"

"Yes sir, it is. The Incarcerous spell, deriving its name from the root _incarcerate_, which means to capture, conjures ropes which then bind the victim and prevent said victim from moving." She answered crisply. Dumbledore nodded,

"Well said, Miss Blishwick. Ten points to Slytherin!" He paused, "Now, the incantation for the spell is just the name: Incarcerous. We will be practicing on dummies today, found in the back left corner of the room. Off you go!" The room immediately erupted into cheerful chatter as the students moved around to gather the dummies.

"I'll get a dummy for us to use." Avery offered, walking towards the crowded back left corner. Nagini stood up and stretched,

"Ah, well, I can deal with easy days every now and then." She said, picking up her wand, "You know, Tom's usually the only one that answers questions. It's nice to have someone else to earn us house points."

"Really?" Hermione replied, picking up her own wand and waiting for Avery to return, "My friends always teased me that I couldn't _not_ answer a question. I suppose they're right." Avery returned, levitating two life-sized dummies in front of him,

"Here. I figured we could manage with two."

"Yes, thank you, Avery." Hermione replied, stepping out from behind the desk dragging one of the dummies a little bit further off as to not cross spells by accident.

"Mind if I practice over here as well?" Not surprisingly, Tom appeared beside her.

"You certainly may." Hermione turned towards the dummy, " _Incarcerous_!" She articulated clearly, ropes springing from her wand and wrapping neatly around the dummy.

"_Incarcerous_!" Hermione barely even saw the ropes leave his wand before they engulfed the dummy, knocking it back with enormous force. She turned to look at the boy, no, the man that cast the spell, and he was beautiful. She could not deny it. His posture was perfect, his wand looked like a mere extension of his arm, one piece of rich brown hair was slightly out of place, his eyes concentrating intensely on the dummy. Suddenly, his eyes shifted, focusing intensely on her own eyes: she couldn't breath. Hermione suddenly put her wand arm up again, and the ropes shot out at the dummy without her saying a word, hitting it with so much force it went flying back and crashed into the wall, completely bound. No living thing would escape that.

The loud noise caught the attention of Dumbledore, who looked knowingly at her. Nagini stared, her head tilted, chewing unconsciously on her bottom lip in concentration. Just as fast as she looked, she turned away. When Hermione finally got enough courage to look back to Tom Riddle, she could not have predicted his reaction.

He inclined his head slightly, a nod. Acknowledgement.

As an enemy or ally, she could not yet say.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **Hello, and welcome to Chapter 5! I am glad that Chapter 4 got several good reviews and more story alerts; I really do appreciate it. I will warn in advance that updates will come slower the next few weeks because I will be very busy. As always, read and review!

Cheers!

**Chapter 5**

"Miss Blishwick, would you stay a moment?" Dumbledore asked ever so politely as Hermione began to exit the room. She nodded,

"Of course, Professor." Turning to her Slytherin posse (she would not yet call them her friends), she added, "I'll see you in potions?"

"Certainly." Tom replied, nodding to Dumbledore, then taking his leave, Nagini beside him. Avery, Malfoy, and Rosier trailed slightly behind. Hermione approached Professor Dumbledore's desk,

"You wanted to see me, sir?" She asked, her stomach twisting in knots. What if she was changing the future at this moment, and the future Dumbledore would remember here from fifty years before her actual time? _There's no reason to worry about it now. _Hermione reprimanded herself_, You took the risk, and you're already here._

"Miss Blishwick, I wanted to compliment you today on your stunning display of nonverbal magic." Dumbledore said after a few moments of studying Hermione, "Such advanced use of nonverbal magic is quite rare in students, even seventh year ones. In fact, I know of perhaps one other student who can perform nonverbal magic with such accuracy." _Three guesses who that is_. Hermione grumbled internally. Out loud, however, she smiled and offered humbly,

"Thank you very much, professor, but I am by no means a master of nonverbal magic, sir, and could use great improvement in many areas." Dumbledore studied her for a few more moments,

"A humble attitude is always good, of course. So is a display of skill. Perhaps, though, you should consider your choice of student companions and decide which one you should reveal on a regular basis." Hermione felt her heart pounding in her chest. He _knew_. He knew that Lestrange, Malfoy, Rosier, Avery, Wilkes, possibly Black and probably Nagini were up to something, but she could tell by his reference to Tom that he knew Tom to be the main culprit. Could Dumbledore help her on her mission? Could she trust him to keep her secret?

"Professor, there is something I wish to tell you." She began slowly, her heart still pounding, her brain running a million miles an hour.

"Yes, Miss Blishwick?" Dumbledore asked, listening intently.

"I-um. . . I'm afraid I'm a bit homesick. I really don't know what to do, who to trust. Everyone has been together since their first year, and I'm thrown into a world that I don't yet know." Hermione admitted, looking down at her feet, feeling like a first year again. What she said was not exactly what she wanted to say, but all of it was true. There was a look in Dumbledore's eye- was it a trace of disappointment?- but there was also sympathy as well,

"I understand your frustration, Miss Blishwick. I am afraid, however, I cannot offer you any more advice than this: Trust who your heart trusts, not your brain, and you will not be led astray." Hermione stared back at the Professor, trying to find a secret meaning to his words, a clue, but all she could find was Dumbledore's strong belief in the heart, and thus, in love itself.

"Thank you, Professor. I will not forget it."

"I should hope not. Best be on your way; you do not want to be late to Professor Slughorn's class."

"Yes, good bye, professor!" Hermione replied, turning to take her leave.

"Good day, Miss Blishwick." Dumbledore said, he too turning his back to retreat into his office, shaking his head slightly.

* ' * ' *

"Excellent, Miss Blishwick! I do believe your Forgetfulness Potion would make us even forget our names! Ten points to Slytherin." Professor Slughorn complimented with a jolly smile. In truth, he was not so different from the Slughorn of her own time; just younger, naturally, and slightly less large. He lowered his voice slightly, leaning towards Hermione a little bit, "I do believe you have the potential to be own of my best students. Keep it up, eh?" Hermione smiled as well, and blushed slightly at the compliment,

"Thank you, sir! I will try my best to not let you down." She replied, taking into consideration Dumbledore's suggestion. Looking too humble might make her look weak in front of Tom and his gang, which was certainly the last thing she wanted. On the same token, she did not want Tom to see her as a threat and decide that she should be dealt with personally. The only was she could kill him would be to get close to him. About that much, she was certain.

"Tom, a wonderful job, as usual! Ten points to Slytherin." Slughorn said with a fond smile; Tom was clearly one of his favorite students.

"Thank you, professor, but I am not sure if it is as good as all of that, though." He said humbly with a slight shake of his head.

"Always the perfectionist!" Slughorn chuckled, "Tom, my boy, I do not think that it could get much better! Miss Blishwick is the only one that might have a better brew, and I do not think we should test it today." He added with another good-natured chuckle before moving on about the room to check the other potions. Hermione began to pack up her bag and collect her ingredients. Lunch was next, and she was starving. _I do hope they have something good. _She thought as she shut her potions book and dropped it into her bag.

"Oh, Mr. Weasley, I'm afraid that simply won't do. Perhaps you can stay after class for a few minutes for some tutoring?" Slughorn asked, shaking his head slightly. At the sound of the name Weasley, Hermione's head snapped up. The Weasley of this time more closely resembled Arthur Weasley than Ron, but the trademark red hair and glum expression caught her off-guard. _Ron. _Only then did she realize how much she truly missed him.

"Do you have a thing for redheads, Hermione?" Nagini asked, following Hermione's gaze over to the Weasley. Hermione laughed,

"You could say that, I guess. Who is that?" She asked as nonchalantly as she possibly could.

"His name's Weasley. . . Septimus is his first name, I believe. Gryffindor. Frightfully _awful_ at potions. I have no idea why he took NEWT level potions." Nagini replied, scrunching up her nose slightly. After a moment's pause, he elbowed Hermione, "So Hermione. . . you've got a thing for redheads, huh?"

"Oh, shut up Nagini! Only one at one time, and that's it." Hermione replied, shoving Nagini's elbow away in a friendly manner. Nagini was the only person closest to a friend that Hermione had at Hogwarts in this time, and to be honest, it was quite lonely. Luckily, Nagini was a colorful character, and with her, there never was a dull moment. Nagini and Tom's relationship still perplexed her, however; Nagini seemed to be so carefree and rebellious, but the Voldemort Hermione knew despised these qualities. Actually, Tom Riddle did not seem to be too much like the Voldemort she knew at all; that in itself was frustrating. It was hard to hate an agreeable person.

"Daydreaming about Septimus Weasley?" Nagini asked innocently. Hermione glared at her in mock exasperation,

"Oh no, stealing your boyfriend am I?" Nagini clapped a hand to her heart,

"Hermione, I am distressed! He is my boyfriend, and you must simply back off!"

"Who is your boyfriend?" Came the silky smooth, if not slightly confused voice of Tom.

"Septimus Weasley." Hermione said quickly before Nagini could stop her. Tom Riddle, Voldemort, looked across the potions classroom to the redhead who was currently cleaning the purple goop out of his cauldron, brows knitted in concentration.

"An interesting choice, I must say." He finally remarked, perfectly indifferent. Nagini rolled her eyes, Hermione fighting the urge to giggle,

"Hell no he is not! Hermione here was just having a good laugh."

"Language, Nagini." Chided the haughty voice of Abraxus Malfoy. Nagini raised her eyebrows,

"Malfoy, I can say any damn word I want to say."

"Abraxus, try not to upset her, she's rather annoying when she gets upset." Tom said lazily as he leaned up against the table, waiting for class to be adjourned.

"So I've noticed." Malfoy muttered. Nagini stepped a little closer to him, fuming,

"What was that, Malfoy? You cheeky little son of a-"

At that moment, Professor Slughorn rang the class adjourned bell quite loudly. As Malfoy and Nagini continued arguing, Tom approached Hermione, shaking his head,

"Will you accompany me to lunch, Miss Blishwick?" He asked.

"Certainly, Mr. Riddle." The two left Nagini and Malfoy behind, heading up the many stairs towards the Great Hall.

"I apologize for Nagini's conduct. She can be quite. . . free-spirited." Tom said quietly after a few moments of silence.

"Oh, I don't mind, really." Hermione replied, thinking for a moment, "Are you and Nagini close?"

"You could say that, I suppose." Tom answered, shrugging. _Damn you Tom Riddle! You never give a straight answer._ Hermione thought before trying again,

"You fancy her, don't you?" Hermione prodded, knowing that she was going out on a limb and that it could end badly, but it was definitely worth a shot. Tom raised his eyebrows,

"You ask a lot of questions."

"You still haven't given me an answer." Tom, surprisingly enough, laughed,

"Fair enough. Well, Nagini and I understand each other."

"That still doesn't answer my question." Hermione persisted, tilting her head slightly. Tom stayed silent for a few long moments. Finally, as they neared the Great Hall, he sighed,

"You don't give up, do you Miss Blishwick?" He asked, sounding slightly annoyed, but there was another type of tone there as well. What it was, Hermione could not quite decide.

"Never, Mr. Riddle." Tom nodded at this response,

"I like that in a person." He commented, almost as if he were thinking aloud, "Anyway, no, I do not fancy Nagini, not in the way you mean." As Hermione heard these words, she knew she should be disappointed; a romantic link to Tom Riddle would be a most valuable tool indeed. Instead, all she could think about were those six words Tom had muttered so carelessly: I like that in a person. Why was she practically falling over herself at his compliment? His next words brought her out of her thoughts, "If I may ask, why do you want to know?"

"Oh, no particular reason." Hermione replied, trying to mimic the same lazy tone he had used so effectively earlier and only partially succeeding, "Curiosity, I suppose."

"Naturally. I am quite curious myself, I must admit." Tom responded, lightly placing his hand on the small of her back and steering Hermione over towards the Slytherin table. The touch of his hand made her feel both excited and nervous at the same time. Could this mean that Tom Riddle was beginning to trust her?

"Well, I could have guessed as much." She shrugged as they arrived at the table, Lestrange saving seats for them.

He looked up at the two of them, his eyes stopping a moment on Tom's hand resting on Hermione's back, "Where are Malfoy and Nagini?" He inquired.

"Oh, they got into a bit of a quarrel so Miss Blishwick and I came on here." Tom replied, waiting until Hermione sat down before he sat down beside her.

"I see. Nothing new, really." Lestrange said in acknowledgement before returning to eating. Hermione spooned some corn onto her plate,

"Do they always argue?" She asked to no one in particular.

"Does who always argue?" Came the voice of Avery as he sat down across from Hermione, nodding at Lestrange, Hermione, and Tom.

"Nagini and Malfoy." Tom replied as he, too, took a bite of his lunch. Chewing thoughtfully for a few moments, he finally added, "Yes, I suppose they do." They fell into silence after that, each person lost in his or her own thoughts. After a few more minutes, Tom Riddle stood up, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked curiously. He looked at her a moment, as if confused as to why she asked him such a question. Tom smirked,

"To study, of course." He paused, "Why? Are you going to miss me, Miss Blishwick?" He added innocently. Hermione snickered,

"Oh so dearly, Mr. Riddle." He nodded,

"Just as I thought. See you later, Miss Blishwick." He nodded at Avery and Lestrange before departing the Great Hall. Hermione finished her lunch as well and stood up a few moments later.

"Now where are you going?" Lestrange inquired.

"I need to go and check out a book from the library." Hermione quickly lied; after all, the lie was not too far-fetched, "I'll see you all in a bit." With that, she left the Great Hall as well. Finding someone in Hogwarts was no easy feat, but Hermione had to know what Tom was doing. His lack of scheming and his quite normal personality was starting to confuse her. As she continued thinking, she accidentally bumped into someone, "Oh, I'm terribly sorry." She said automatically before looking up into the delicately disgusted face of Lucille Parkinson.

"Well, you should be paying attention, but no harm done, I suppose." Lucille retorted, adjusting her robes.

"Oh, Lucille! There you are. I have the most wonderful news about-" Florence Greengrass stopped abruptly when she was Hermione, "Oh, hello! How are you today, Blishwick?" She asked with venomous sweetness. _How on earth do they already hate me? I guess it's in the genes. _Hermione thought, mentally sighing,

"I'm wonderful, thanks." Hermione replied with the same sweet tone, "Do tell me, have you seen Mr. Riddle recently? I need to return one of his books to him." This question was probably not helping the relationship between Hermione and the two girls, but desperate times called for desperate measures, Florence scowled slightly, but answered,

"Yes, I just talked to _Tom_ but a minute ago. He was on the fourth floor."

"Thank you very much. Well, I better go and find him. Good-bye!" Hermione said, not really giving them time to reply as she began to mount the stairs. Behind her, she heard agitated whispering, but paid no mind. It seemed that she would forever be the subject of gossip.

* ' * ' *

"You don't think that would work?" Hermione froze, distinctly hearing the voice of Nagini.

"Not so loud, Nagini." Tom chided gently, and then their voices dropped to mere murmurs that Hermione could not decipher. She crept closer to the deserted classroom, pressing her ear to the door, wishing that she had an Expendable Ear,

"You mean Hermione Blishwick?" Tom asked softly. There was a pause,

"Yes. She's quick." Was all Nagini replied. Another pause.

"I will think about it. I think you may be right. She is quick, and resourceful." Hermione moved even closer to the door.

"All of those things, yes." Then, Nagini's voice dropped to a whisper again, and Tom replied in a whisper. Both were inaudible to Hermione.

All of the sudden, the door flew open.

"Miss Blishwick?" Tom asked, sounding perplexed at her standing right next to the door.

"Oh, Mr. Riddle, it's you! I thought I heard voices, so I wanted to investigate." Hermione lied quickly, tripping over her words. Once again, however, Tom seemed to accept her reasoning,

"Well, I was practicing a few spells; that might have been what you heard. Won't you come in and practice with me?" Tom Riddle asked, gently pulling her into the room and closing the door. The room was small, with only one door and a small window, and it was deserted except for Hermione and Tom. Hermione then realized that she was in a room alone with the future Dark Lord.

Nagini was no where to be found.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: **I apologize for the slightly longer than usual update time. Thank you again to everyone who added this story to their favorite's list and left reviews. I am glad that you are enjoying the story so far!

Cheers!

**Chapter 6**

Hermione Granger was in a room alone with Tom Marvolo Riddle. No one knew where she was, she had no one to help her. He could easily kill her, and not a soul would suspect him. On the same note, she could kill him, and Tom had no one to help him. The thought was thrilling: she could fulfill her mission. Gripping her wand, Hermione could feel the words forming on her lips. It would be so easy.

Too easy.

_I'm a fool!_ Hermione thought, resisting the urge to scowl, _Nagini was just here. She has to be hiding somewhere. _There was another problem with murdering Tom Riddle in the middle of Hogwarts as well; how could Hermione escape? As soon as the deed was done, she would have to flee, and, at the moment, she had no way of returning to the future. The whole idea was a foolish one.

"Miss Blishwick, are you quite alright?" Tom asked, his face the perfect expression of concern, brows knitted, peering at her.

"Oh, yes, quite." Hermione replied, rubbing her forehead a little, "I've felt a bit under the weather, is all." She lied quickly, relaxing the grip on her wand. Tom frowned,

"I hope it isn't serious. Perhaps you should go and see the nurse." He suggested, reaching up and brushing the back of his hand against her forehead. Hermione recoiled slightly, unable to help herself. Tom smirked a little, "I don't bite." He promised, once again feeling of her forehead, "Well, no fever at least, from my amateur perspective."

"Yes, I don't believe there is." Hermione said quickly, taking the tiniest step away from him. Tom gazed at her for a moment, his dark eyes boring into her own. He then turned away, casually pacing over to the tiny window at the far side of the room. The seconds ticked by with agonizing slowness as he casually observed the grounds, twirling his wand between his fingers. Hermione, too, fidgeted with her wand, not daring to say a word.

"Miss Blishwick. . ." Tom began, turning from the window, "You seem so anxious. Are you sure that you're alright?" He questioned once more. Hermione nodded,

"Yes, quite sure. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Riddle." She paused, desperately searching for a way to break the awkwardness that had settled over them. It would do no good for Tom to become suspicious of her motives, "You said you were practicing spells?"

"Ah, yes!" Tom replied, seeming to forget the previous moment, "I was just practicing a rather useful spell, if not quite simple."

"Care to enlighten m-" Before Hermione could finish the question, her wand flew out of her hand and landed neatly in the outstretched palm of Tom's. _Expelliarmus, nonverbally. Of course._ Hermione thought and then outwardly scoffed, "Mr. Riddle, would you care to give me back my wand?" Tom smirked that annoying smirk,

"Not at the moment; your face is far too entertaining." Hermione quickly wiped her face clean of any expression,

"Better?"

"Not really." At this response, Hermione made a quick snipe at her wand, but Tom easily held it up in the air, he being taller than she. Hermione jumped for it, looking quite frustrated. After chuckling a good bit, Tom finally turned solemn once more, "Miss Blishwick, I present you with this gift of a wand. Cherish it." He said, laying the wand flat across both hands and bowing his head,

"Oh, stop it!" Hermione replied, snatching her wand with a laugh. The next moment, however, Tom's wand flew out of his relaxed hand and into the palm of Hermione, who looked at him with a triumphant smirk. Tom nodded slightly,

"Impressive. I dare say you've made your point, however." He held out his hand expectantly. Deciding not to anger him, Hermione gingerly placed his wand into his outstretched palm.

"I should make you work for it." She commented as he tucked his wand away inside of his robes once more.

"I beg to differ." Tom replied, a slightly arrogant tone creeping into is voice, "I dare say that I deserve my wand."

"Maybe you do." Hermione conceded, attempting to stick to her original plan of not angering Tom Marvolo Riddle at the moment, "Sorry, but do you have the time?" She questioned. After a quick glance to an elegant pocket-watch, Tom answered,

"We have twenty minutes until our next class. You do have Divination, correct?"

"No, actually, I do not."

"Alright, we-"

"Tom, are you in here?" Came the voice of Nagini as she opened the door, walking in carelessly but then stopping quickly, grinning like the Cheshire cat, "Oh, hello Hermione." Up until that moment, Hermione had completely forgotten about the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of Nagini.

"Hello, Nagini." Tom said when Hermione did not reply, "Can we be of help to you?" Nagini raised her eyebrows,

"Oh, just a question, but it's not important. I won't interrupt you any longer. Goodbye!" With another grin, Nagini closed the door.

"Nagini, you're not interrupting us!" Hermione protested, but all she got in reply was a laugh and the sound of receding footsteps, "What on earth could she be interrupting?" She asked. Tom shook his head,

"Merlin only knows."

* ' * ' *

Hermione had departed from Tom Riddle after a quick good-bye, with Tom adding that they should practice spells together more often. The comment had come with a smile that did not reach his eyes. _He probably just wants to see what magic I can do. _Hermione thought, making a mental note to save her best tricks for the kill.

If she ever got to go in for the kill.

With her rashness in making the decision to travel back in time to kill Voldemort, Hermione failed to think of either a way back to the future or an escape plan to avoid getting arrested for the murder. _Murder_. Awful as it was, that is exactly what she planned to do. Hermione killed or critically injured several Death Eaters during the war, but that was in self defense. It was either kill them or be killed. Even though the murder of Voldemort came with noble intentions, Hermione still could not shake the feeling of guilt. _No wonder I got put in Slytherin this go around._ She grumbled internally, turning the corner and arriving at her favorite place: the library.

Upon entering the quiet, large room, Hermione felt instantly at home. The smell of old parchment was overpowering, and few students were in the library, probably due to the fact that term had just begun. Hermione wandered over to a group of particularly abandoned shelves, quickly scanning the titles, looking for something of interest. "_Why the Unicorn Vanished from Europe, One Thousand Unique Uses for Bezoar, Magical Myths and Legends._ . ." Hermione muttered the titles of each of the books softly as she dragged her finger along the spines. She continued to scan the titles, grabbing the book on uses for Bezoar and looking for another. A book with a title in runes caught her attention. Pulling it out, Hermione quickly deciphered the short title: _The Future_. Besides this one rune, the cover was completely blank. Hermione opened the book and gasped; the runes were more difficult than anything else she had attempted to read, which definitely was not a phrase to be taken lightly, but her curiosity was piqued. Hermione picked up that book as well and walked up to the front desk, handing them to the librarian to check out.

"I don't think I've seen this book before." The librarian commented, examining the book of runes.

"It is quite unusual." Hermione stated, not sure what else to say. The librarian nodded,

"Very true. I will have to do some research on this book, but you can take it in the meantime." She replied, handing both of the book to Hermione, who dropped them in her bag.

"Thank you, ma'am." She said as the librarian looked back to her parchment.

Well, that was one continuity between the ages, Hermione decided; librarians still acted like librarians, even if Dark Lords acted like gentlemen. Shaking her head, Hermione exited the library, deciding to spend her remaining free period enjoying the nice afternoon and reading her newly borrowed books. Relaxation sounded like a good idea; Hermione needed some time to gather her wandering thoughts.

* ' * ' *

When Hermione entered the Great Hall for dinner, she was surprised to see that neither Tom or Nagini were present. Instead, Malfoy, Avery, Rosier, and Wilkes were seated together in their usual spot, heads bent together in conversation. Lestrange was no where to be found either.

"Good evening!" Hermione greeted them, sitting down beside Avery, who smiled at her.

"Good evening, Blishwick!" He replied.

"I trust your first day of classes has been satisfactory?" Malfoy inquired in his best attempt to be nice. Instead, it came across as an arrogant and elevated tone, but Hermione appreciated the effort.

"Oh yes! I only had Transfiguration and Potions today, but they were both most interesting." Hermione answered, grabbing an apple from the bowl sitting in the middle of the table.

"Ah, so you had the old coot today?" Questioned Rosier, "Dumbledore, I mean." He added quickly. Hermione was furious at his lack of disrespect, but she tried not to show it,

"Yes, I did. Actually, I think him to be quite intelligent."

"He's intelligent enough, but he's a muggle-lover and hates Slytherins. You'll begin to dislike him the more you have him." Avery supplied, taking a bite of chicken.

"We'll see." Hermione bit out, trying to control her anger at Avery's "muggle-lover" comment. And here she thought that Avery was decent! Wilkes, who Hermione had decided was a rather quiet bloke, finally spoke to her,

"Did you find the book you were looking for during lunch earlier?" He questioned. Hermione decided that he was a lot more observant than he appeared. She nodded,

"Yes, I did, thanks. It took me a while, since I am not yet used to the Hogwart's library's organizational strategy." He just nodded, seeming to take her answer as satisfactory.

"Hello, you all!" Nagini announced brightly as she flounced into the hall, earning some irritated glances from Florence and Lucille who sat further on down the table. After a moment, Hermione realized that it was not Nagini's loud greeting, but her companion that probably irritated them. Tom Riddle slid onto the bench next to Hermione, with Nagini sitting on the other side of him.

"Good evening, Nagini."Rosier replied regally, with Avery smiling at the girl, Wilkes taking no notice, and Malfoy _deliberately_ taking no notice.

"Hello, Nagini, hello Tom!" Hermione greeted. Tom flashed a winning smile at her, taking Hermione by surprise given his cold departure earlier.

"Hello to you as well, Miss Blishwick." He replied, leaning a little closer to her, "You enjoyed your free period this afternoon, yes?"

"Yes, I did actually. Just visited the library and did a bit of reading, but it was enjoyable."

"Sounds like it. I quite enjoy reading as well; we must discuss our interpretations at some point." Tom suggested with another smile.

"I look forward to it." Hermione responded, holding his gaze for a few moments.

"Good. I do too." Tom said, then began to eat his dinner.

"Are you two continuing your conversation from earlier?" Nagini asked, looking over to Hermione and Tom with a mischievous smile. Hermione looked blankly at her, but Tom quickly replied,

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Nagini chuckled,

"Of course you don't. My apologies, I must have been mistaken." Nagini went back to eating her food, but Malfoy and Avery continued to glance occasionally at Tom and Hermione, Rosier at Nagini, and Wilkes at his food. Finally, the awkward silence was broken by the arrival of Lestrange,

"Sorry I'm late gentlemen. . . and ladies." He apologized, throwing a quick glance in the direction of Tom, who nodded.

"Quite alright, Lestrange. Why, if I may ask, are you late?" He questioned as Lestrange sat next to Nagini,

"Well, Dumbledore suspected me of putting some mudblood first-year Hufflepuff in their rightful place. Well, first of all, he's not even the Headmaster, and second of all, as if they are really worth my time!" He snorted, shaking his head as if the accusation was completely absurd. Tom, however, set his glare on Lestrange,

"How did these accusations come forth, then?" He asked calmly, but his tone made Hermione feel nervous.

"I-I don't know. Rumors I suppose." Lestrange replied nonchalantly, attempting to remain calm himself.

"If I hear of these accusations again, Lestrange, I will personally, as Head Boy, investigate them. Is that understood?" Tom Riddle stated, again making Hermione forget that he was only seventeen years old.

"Absolutely."

For a moment, Hermione had her answer to Tom Riddle; it was all a facade. The true Dark Lord had just spoken.

"Hermione, would you like to accompany me back to the Common Room? I've had enough of this loud hall." Nagaini asked, standing up. Hermione nodded,

"Sure!" She, too, stood up, picking up her bag, "I'll see you all in a little while." She said to the rest of the Slytherins.

"See you Hermione, Nagini." Avery replied pleasantly. Malfoy nodded, Lestrange was too busy sulking, and Rosier and Wilkes took no notice at all.

"I'll talk with you in a few minutes, Miss Blishwick." Tom responded with a slight smile. He did not take any notice of Nagini at all, but she did not appear to be concerned as she looped her arm through Hermione's and the two left the Great Hall.

"My goodness, must boys argue all of the time?" Nagini asked with a sigh, though Hermione could tell that she was teasing.

"Well, they are boys." Hermione conceded, then added, "Do they all listen to Tom like Lestrange does?" Nagini glanced at Hermione before taking a turn and heading down the stairs that lead to the Slytherin Common Room,

"Yes, I suppose. He is the Head Boy and all, and can deduct points or even assign detention if he wants to." She replied. As they reached the seemingly blank wall, Nagini said, "_Mimblewimble_." Two panels in the wall slid apart, revealing the entrance into the Slytherin Common Room.

"I mean, they seemed scared of Tom. Lestrange did, that is." Hermione pried, knowing that she was moving into particularly treacherous waters. From what she could tell, Nagini was the closest Tom had to a friend, and could easily tell him of the conversation that took place. Nagini glanced around the common room and, seeing it filled with chattering first-years, quickly led Hermione up the stairs and into their dormitory. As she must have expected, it was empty. Nagini turned to Hermione,

"Hermione, look. You're new, so you can't possibly be expected to know the established social status of Hogwarts in detail yet, but be careful. If you haven't already figured it out, there's a lot of people here that don't like each other and do whatever they see fit to express their dislike." It was the closest thing to a serious tone that Hermione heard out of Nagini yet.

"So you're suggesting that Lestrange really did rough up that first-year Hufflepuff?" Hermione asked slowly, searching Nagini's face for some recognition of the truth, but finding none.

"I'm not suggesting anything of the sort. I'm only trying to inform you. I like you, and I don't want something bad to happen to you simply because you haven't been around long enough to get what's going on." Nagini replied, not offering any more help about the Lestrange situation.

"And what about Tom Riddle?" Hermione replied softly, hearing her heart pounding in her ears.

"What about Tom Riddle? Tom is a good person whose side to be on, and a decent person in general. He likes people to listen to him, but he's much better than the rest of them." Hermione had to fight to keep from laughing at this remark. Tom Riddle, a decent person?

"Who's 'them'?" Hermione inquired further. Nagini sighed,

"You ask a lot of questions." _Exactly what Tom said earlier!_ Hermione thought, but said out loud,

"I'm just a curious person."

"Like someone else I know." Nagini muttered, almost to herself, then continued, "You'll just have to find out for yourself." She paused, then smiled, "So. . . what were you and Tom up to earlier?"

"Nothing, honestly." Hermione responded quickly. Nagini laughed,

"Like Hell you weren't! Really, what were you doing?"

"Well, we were just practicing some spells." Nagini looked slightly disappointed,

"Ah, very well then." After a moment's pause, Hermione pried,

"What did you think we were doing?" Nagini sighed,

"I don't know exactly. Snogging maybe?"

"Nagini!" Hermione exclaimed, horrified, much to Nagini's glee.

"Ah-ha! So you want to snog him, so you? Otherwise, you wouldn't be so upset!" She declared triumphantly.

"Nagini, that's absurd. I'm-"

"You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to tell Tom!" Nagini said teasingly, faking going to the door.

"Well, wouldn't that make him angry? He got a little mad when I asked him if he fancied _you_ earlier. . ." Hermione commented, trying desperately to get the subject out of Nagini's mind. Nagini, however, laughed even harder at Hermione's feeble attempt,

"Oh, stop trying to change the subject!" She paused, "But you asked him if he fancied ME? That's hilarious! There is no way Tom could ever fancy me! And besides, I don't give a damn if it did make him angry if I told him how much you wanted to snog him."

"I do _not_ want to snog him!" Hermione protested, but Nagini did not seem to take notice,

"I'll go and tell him right this instant!" She announced, this time actually heading towards the door.

"You will not!" Hermione replied, grabbing Nagini's arm. Nagini just smiled gleefully and pulled her arm away,

"Hermione, I do not listen to anybody. I do what I want! No one controls me!" She declared loudly, cackling again and dashing down the dormitory stairs, "Tom dear! I have the most exciting news!" Hermione heard as Nagini arrived in the common room.

As for Hermione, melting through the floor seemed like a particularly wonderful option.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter 7! A bit more Tomione interaction in here for you all, thought not a whole lot. . . yet, that is. Look for that in upcoming chapters! As usual, let me know what you think of the latest chapter by either reviewing or sending me a private message (if that's your fancy). I accept anonymous reviews, so if you're following this story without a FanFiction account, feel free to sill review.

Enjoy! :)

**Chapter 7**

"Nagini!" Hermione called to her, dashing out of the dormitory and down the stairs at a breakneck pace, doing her best not to slip on the marble and plunge to her death. _Maybe that's not such a bad idea after all. . . _Hermione thought, sure that dying before her mortification killed her might be a better option than having to listen to Nagini play her childish schoolgirl games. Of all of the people in the world, Tom Riddle Jr. would be the worse one to think Hermione foolish. It portrays weakness, one of the greatest endangerments to Hermione's mission. It would not do for her to be alienated from Tom now, not when she was beginning to get closer to him. Closeness, though probably barely possible, was her best chance to kill Tom. Nagini could not ruin her chances now, "Nagini, wait!" She called again, but there was no reply but laughing. As usual.

"Nagini, I swear! If you. . ." Hermione stopped abruptly, completely out of breath as she reached the bottom of the stairs and arrived in the Common Room. Tom's whole posse (as she liked to call them) was there, staring at her like she grew a third eye. Tom himself stood next to the fireplace, Nagini beside him, staring at her in an amused fashion. After a moment's of awkward silence while Hermione caught her breath, Malfoy asked,

"Miss Blishwick, are you quite alright? You look as if a monster were chasing you, I dare say." He said with mirth in his voice.

"Well, actually I was chasing a monster." Hermione replied in a completely serious tone.

"And pray, who would that be?" Tom questioned, his eyes still slightly amused. Hermione pointed to Nagini,

"That thing that dares to call herself a human." Nagini laughed, grabbing Tom's arm,

"Oh Tom, I must tell you the news! Hermione-"

"_Silencio!_" Hermione cried, and with a jab of the wand, Nagini fell silents, lips still moving, but unable to speak. After a moment of shock of Nagini actually being silenced, Tom began to laugh. It was such an odd sound to come from a future Dark Lord; it was not the high-pitched, cold laughter that Hermione knew, but genuine, deep,_ real_ laughter. Hermione could not stop herself from giggling as well as Nagini shot glances like daggers at her, and the rest joined in soon.

"Blishwick! How could you have accomplished such an impossible feat as to get _Nagini_ to be quiet?" Avery asked, his face turning red from laughing so hard. Hermione tried to reply, but Nagini's shocked expression was just too funny. Finally, after a few more moments of seemingly uncontrollable laughter, Hermione began to force herself to take gulps of air,

"Oh my, I can barely breathe!" She admitted, still chuckling. Tom sat on the couch and gestured to the space next to him,

"We don't need you falling over, Miss Blishwick. Who will get Nagini to be quiet then?" Hermione chuckled a little more before sitting next to him but leaving a comfortable space between them. Nagini shot another death glare at Tom before crossing her arms. Tom smiled at her,

"Come now, Nagini, it's just a bit of fun. The charm is not permanent, and will wear off soon." He coaxed, attempting to smooth her ruffled feathers. It worked only partially; Nagini grudgingly sat down in an armchair, and simply crossed her arms once more.

"Well, I think that this year will go quite well." Lestrange commented, still standing, "Miss Blishwick is a nice addition to Slytherin and the people in our classes seem to be more tolerable than usual." Rosier shook his head,

"That's just because you haven't had Hufflepuffs in your classes yet." He interjected. Lestrange shrugged,

"That may be so. It still does not take away my compliment to Miss Blishwick, however." He pointed out, and Hermione tried her best to look grateful,

"Thank you very much, Mr. Lestrange." She replied, inclining her head. It seemed to fool everyone but Tom, naturally. While the others engaged themselves once more in conversation, he caught Hermione's eye for a moment, inclining his head in much the same manner as she had. Hermione scoffed, annoyed at his mockery, and he snickered quietly before leaning back on the couch, leisurely resting his arm across the back of the couch. At that moment, the door to the common room opened, and in came a man who looked so much like Sirius that it hurt. Hermione remembered him as Alphard Black, but she did not know anything of him otherwise.

"Black!" Wilkes, much to Hermione's surprise, greeted, "How are you, man?" Alphard Black smiled charmingly, nodding towards the group, his eyes lingering for a little too long on Hermione before turning back to Wilkes,

"Hullo, Wilkes! I'm fine, to be sure. A long first day." He replied, joining the group and sitting down in another armchair, stretching luxuriously. Tom gazed at Alphard Black for a few moments, and Hermione sensed a small bit of dislike, but he smiled nonetheless,

"We haven't seen much of you today, Black." He commented in a friendly tone. Once again, Hermione was surprised at how normal Tom Riddle could seem, "Are you enjoying your classes?" Black laughed,

"Me? Enjoy classes? No, not me! Homework on the first bloody day!" He announced dropping his bag on the floor with a loud _bang_! He looked at Nagini, who was still under the effects of the silencing charm, "And hullo to you as well, Nagini. A little quiet tonight, aren't you my dear?" Nagini looked especially irritated as she gave a half-hearted wave.

"She can't talk. Our brilliant Miss Blishwick placed a silencing charm on her but a few minutes ago." Malfoy supplied, not attempting to hide the glee in his voice. Black laughed again,

"Miss Blishwick, is it?" He asked Hermione, who nodded. He stood up to outstretch his hand and shake hers, "My, you _are _brilliant indeed! What did our poor Naginski do to deserve such treatment, if I may ask?"

"She was about to share a most unsavory bit of gossip, I do believe." Hermione replied, brushing her hair off of her shoulder, "I do not enjoy gossip, and I dare say she won't attempt to share it again." Tom smiled,

"If you believe that, Miss Blishwick, I am afraid that you do not yet know Nagini." He replied, "It will only make her all the more determined to share whatever bit of unsavory gossip to which you refer." Hermione felt a slight tug on her bushy hair, but ignored it.

"She'll be able to talk soon though, thankfully. It is far too quiet without Nagini." Rosier announced, looking over to Nagini who smiled the smallest bit.

"I agree. The conversation is decidedly dull." Lestrange agreed, sitting down in the armchair beside Black, who was gazing at Hermione. Hermione, slightly uncomfortable by his attentions, looked the other way, over to Nagini, who was also looking at her. More specifically, she appeared to be looked slightly _behind_ Hermione. Hermione felt another slight tug on her hair and turned her head to look behind her. Tom's arm rested across the back of the couch behind her, his fingers gently playing with her hair. Hermione froze for a moment, and then turned her head back once more to find Black looking at her with a serious look that was gone in an instant and Nagini looking at her with raised eyebrows. When Hermione finally mustered up the courage, she turned her head slightly towards Tom.

He smiled that far-too-charming smiled, and twirled her hair around his fingers once more.

* ' * ' *

Her dreams that night were plagued with memories of her friends and her home. The use of the Silencing Charm brought back memories of their school days, where she had briskly instructed Ron to jab the wand rather than wave it. She was utterly homesick, and though the day brought diversions to distract her from it, the night brought it on full force. After tossing and turning for a long time, Hermione threw back her covers and sat up. It was even earlier than the last time she rose early: 6:00. With a sigh, Hermione stood up and proceeded to the bathroom.

As usual, she looked a wreck in the morning. Hermione treated herself to an extra-long shower, attempting to gather her thoughts about Tom Riddle Jr. His flirtatious behavior towards herself was unnerving, to say the least. She seriously doubted that it could be genuine, therefore it probably carried some more sinister motivations. Despite this realization, Hermione could not help but to feel slightly pleased by his attentions. It was nice to be noticed by a boy. _No, he's practically a man. _Hermione corrected herself as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. What could she possibly be thinking? This was_ Voldemort_ she was thinking about!

After slipping on her uniform consisting of stockings with a longer skirt and a button-up white blouse, Hermione also pulled on her robes embroidered with the Slytherin crest. She still dearly missed her friends and her house. Her current "house-mates" were hardly like her at all in most respects. With a sigh, Hermione picked up her bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, applying the tiniest bit to her bushy hair to tame it. She chuckled as she remembered Harry's eyes practically bulging out of his head at her sleek hair at the Yule Ball their fourth year, and it was all thanks to this potion. . . well, a LOT of the potion. Hermione closed the potion and put it back in her bag before leaving the bathroom.

"Well, you sure took a long time, Blishwick. Pity it doesn't show." Florence Greengrass remarked icily as Hermione exited the bathroom, "But I guess you get something for effort, right dear?" Hermione fixated her eyes on Florence for a moment,

"I suppose so. But don't worry; you would need a lot more than effort to have anything to count." Hermione replied, pondering, "More like a miracle, actually." Florence gasped, her mouth gaping, eyes wide. Hermione simply laughed and pushed past the girl back into the dormitory.

"What was that all about?" Nagini asked sleepily, yawning and rolling over in her bed. Her voice sounded a little scratchy, but otherwise all right. Hermione picked up her bag and began to fill it with the proper books,

"Oh, Florence being a prick, is all." She replied nonchalantly. Nagini chuckled and pulled her covers closer to her face,

"There's a surprise." She said sarcastically, "Well, I'm going back to sleep. Oh, and don't think that I forgot about that spell last night." She warned, but it was in a light tone. Hermione smiled,

"I wouldn't dream of it. See you in a bit." She slung her rather heavy bag over her shoulder and quit the room. It was still early, but breakfast would begin in a few minutes. As she approached the door leading out of the common room, she was hailed by none other than Tom Riddle himself,

"Miss Blishwick, good morning!" He greeted as she stepped off of the dormitory stairs, smiling at her, "Are you going down to breakfast?" He inquired in his usual polite tone. Hermione nodded, still remembering the way he had so easily played with her hair the previous night,

"Yes, I am." Feeling like it was an obligation, Hermione added, "Would you like to join me?" Tom's smile turned into a slight smirk as he replied,

"Yes. Yes, I would. It is a lucky thing that you invited me, though, because it is still a hair early to be our of the dormitories. If you were to go out before now and be without me, you might get house points deducted, or even detention, depending upon the professor who saw you." He said, still smirking out of his own seemingly self-importance. He was baiting her, and Hermione knew it,

"Well, I am very lucky to have you with me, then." She responded easily with her most charming smile.

"Yes, you are." Tom replied matter-of-factly. He extended his arm to her, "Shall we?"

And, for the second time in two days, Hermione accepted it. They proceeded out of the dormitory and began to mount the stairs leading up to the Great Hall.

"I take it you are an early riser like myself?" Tom asked conversationally, walking at a brisk pace. With his legs being much longer, Hermione walked extremely quickly to keep up, but it was a comfortable pace for her.

"Yes, I usually am. I have been waking up particularly early because of an inability to sleep, but that's all right; I like starting out my days early anyway." She replied with a shrug. Tom nodded,

"It must still be the unfamiliarity of Hogwarts dormitories. The inability to sleep, I mean. I suppose the climate might affect it as well? It is considerably warmer in Australia, is it not?" He asked, eyebrows raised, still walking just as briskly and yet intent on their conversation.

"Oh, considerably. I am becoming accustomed to Britain's climate again, though." Hermione said easily, then remarked, "You walked quite fast, Mr. Riddle. I must admit that it provides some vigorous exercise in the morning, going up several flights of steps." She teased, and Tom even chuckled at her,

"Well, intelligent people have been proven to walk faster than non intelligent people." He said haughtily, but then added, "The point is void, however, since you have no trouble keeping up." Hermione glared at him angrily,

"I do not appreciate your insulting my intelligence, Mr. Riddle." She snapped. Tom laughed,

"Oh, do not get upset, Miss Blishwick, it would grieve me to see you upset. It was a joke, that is all." He consoled her, but his voice carried a hint of mockery. Hermione resisted the urge to laugh; Voldemort being grieved at making anyone upset was fairly amusing.

"Do you consider yourself to be intelligent, Mr. Riddle?" She questioned with her sweetest smile. Tom regarded her suspiciously as he replied,

"Yes, I do." Hermione chuckled lightly, still smiling,

"Well, in your attempt to show off your intelligence by walking quickly, you just quickly and oh-so-intelligently walked right by the Great Hall."

Tom scoffed.

* ' * ' *

"Ah, Miss Blishwick, so good of you to come! I trust your first day of term went well?" Professor Dippet asked, offering a courteous smile to Hermione as she entered the Headmaster's office. Hermione received an owl, much to her surprise, naturally, during breakfast which requested her presence for a brief meeting. She suspected it was to be for the purpose of helping her "parents" that were supposedly in Australia.

"Good morning, Headmaster. Yes, it went quite well, thanks. I rather enjoyed my classes." Hermione responded politely, trying desperately to calm her racing heart. Hermione was never much of a liar, and at the moment, that seemed to be all that she could do.

"I dare say Miss Blishwick will be at the top of her class in no time." Said another calming voice. Hermione turned to see Professor Dumbledore entering the room as well, his eyes twinkling, "You needed me, Headmaster?"

"Yes, Albus! Thank you for coming. Both of you, have a seat, if you please." Dippet replied, conjuring some chairs with a wave of his wand. A house-elf appeared with a _crack!_ with a tray for tea. Even if Dippet was not the best Headmaster of Hogwarts to ever hold the position, Hermione thought him to be one of the most obliging. Unfortunately, that also meant that he could be a push-over at times, as she suspected the case was when it came to Tom. After tea was served and the two professors and Hermione were settled, Dippet spoke again, "Now, I have told you of the peculiarity of Miss Blishwick's situation, did I not, Albus?"

"Indeed you did, Armando. My deepest condolences to Miss Blishwick for all of her misfortunes." Dumbledore replied solemnly, the twinkle gone, "Grindelwald is a great wizard, but a terrible one. He has caused many misfortunes." Hermione inclined her head as to accept his thanks, slightly emotional, as the situation seemed almost identical to her own in her own time.

"The occurrence with Mr. and Mrs. Blishwick seems like it might be salvageable, however. It might have been a complex memory charm or potion, but many of those may be reversed in some form or fashion." Dippet continued, taking a sip of his tea. Hermione's blood ran cold; he was going to try and find her parents. Her parents that did not yet exist.

"I understand what you are suggesting, professor, but I am not sure. I am not sure how to even find my parents, and I am concerned that any interference might worsen their condition." Hermione began uncertainly, "At this point, I just wish to see them happy." Dumbledore studied Hermione for a long moment before replying,

"I understand your concern, Miss Blishwick, however, I do believe that we should at least try to save your parents. I doubt that we would worsen their condition by doing so. The worst that would happen, I dare say, is that we would not better it." Dumbledore stated, turning his eyes back to Dippet, "What plans have you for solving this mystery?" Dippet sighed,

"None, at the moment, I must admit." He cleared his throat, "I know you to be quite busy with your duties as Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor House, but I think very highly of you and your abilities, Albus. Perhaps higher than anyone else." Dumbledore inclined his head,

"I thank you much, Armando."

"As such," Dippet continued, "I will ask a favor of you, one that you may decline. I wonder if _you_ would be the one to take over this. . . investigation. I am not as young as I once was, you see, and your brilliance would surely be able to solve this peculiar situation." Hermione could not help but stare at Dippet for a few moments. Dumbledore, investigating her parents that were not even in the same time period? Surely he would find her out, and rather quickly at that! Hermione dreaded the answer even before she heard it,

"Armando, I would be delighted to take on this charge." Dumbledore replied, "I do whatever I can to stop Grindelwald, and my services are always available to you." He accepted the proposition graciously, as expected.

"It is settled, then. Miss Blishwick, you have nothing to fear; we will discover what happened to your parents, and why, I assure you." Dippet said in a tone meant to be comforting. To Hermione, it sounded like a nail in the coffin of her mission. Outwardly, however, she offered a relieved smile,

"Thank you so much, sir! You really think that you can?" She questioned. Dippet smiled as well, Dumbledore studying her,

"Yes, I do. Now, I do not want you to be late for Muggle Studies. Until next time, Miss Blishwick!" Dippet replied with another warm smile before offering a small wave and retreating to his desk. Hermione stood, pulling out her wand to send the chairs away,

"Do not trouble yourself, Miss Blishwick. I have no class at the moment, and cleaning up will not be an issue."

"Oh, thank you, sir! For everything. I'll see you on Thursday!" Hermione bade him good-bye, wishing to get away as quickly as possible. Dumbledore, however, seemed to have more to say,

"Miss Blishwick, I must ask, is there anything you wish to tell me?" Hermione forced herself to meet his eyes,

"No, sir." She replied, trying to sound as honest as possible. In truth, there were a million and one things that she wished to tell him.

"Anything at all?" He pressed further, Hermione feeling as if his eyes were peering into her very soul. Not able to speak, Hermione quickly shook her head. Dumbledore, his gaze unwavering, finally replied:

"Very well. Off you go!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Welcome to Chapter 8! I'm sorry for the longer than usual update time, but I have bad news; the next update definitely will not come for another month because I am taking an extended trip. So, here's a slightly longer update than usual. Read and review! Thanks guys! :)

**Chapter 8**

"What is your name, my dear?" Questioned a fairly pretty, younger witch at the entrance of the Muggle Studies classroom.

"Hermione Blishwick." Hermione replied, noticing that the woman had a piece of parchment in her hand. The woman nodded,

"Ah, Miss Blishwick. Your seat is on the first row, fourth desk from the left." She instructed. Hermione picked up her bag once more, slinging it over her shoulder,

"Thank you." She answered, walking towards the front of the room. To her relief, she noticed that Tom, since his last name was Riddle and seating was evidently in alphabetical order, was a good distance from herself. Although Hermione wanted to be closer to him, she needed a break from the arrogant future Dark Lord every now and then. Hermione sat down at her desk, placing her textbook, quill, and fresh roll of parchment neatly on her desk. The _bang!_ of a heavy bag hitting the desk next to her made her jump.

"Oh, sorry, Blishwick. Didn't mean to startle you." Alphard Black apologized with a lopsided grin.

"It's fine, Black. I just wasn't paying proper attention." Hermione replied, adopting the abandonment of the titles of "Miss" and "Mister." To be honest, it was nice. The constant formalities were starting to get on her nerves.

"I find it surprising that you weren't paying attention to me." Black said with a sigh, looking slightly hurt as he plopped down into his chair. Hermione gazed at him curiously,

"Why?" She asked simply, still perplexed at he winked at her,

"Well, I find you to be pretty attractive. And most girls think I'm gorgeous." He flirted, giving her a wolfish grin. Hermione chuckled; most of the time, these attentions made her nervous, but something was so absurd about the fact that one of Sirius's relatives found her attractive (or so he claimed) that she had to chuckle,

"Hmmm. . . gorgeous might be a bit much, I must say." Hermione replied with a cheeky grin of her own. Alphard Black laughed, shaking his head,

"Blishwick, perhaps you need to have your eyesight examined. I am quite appalled, really."

"Black, perhaps you need to have the size of your head examined. In my opinion, it is quite too large at the moment." Hermione teased in return, earning another laugh from Alphard Black,

"I will have to check on that, for sure." He responded, stopping for a moment, "No, it definitely is the proper size to encompass all of my superior good looks and intellectual abilities." Hermione snorted at this remark, Black adopting another hurt expression, "I cannot believe that you do not agree with me! You must find me attractive in some way."

"I hardly entertained the notion." Hermione replied haughtily, though still keeping a playful tone. After all, Alphard Black seemed like a decent guy, even if he was slightly conceited.

"Is your mind preoccupied with someone else then?" Black questioned, slinging his textbook onto the table and his bag onto the floor. Hermione looked at him curiously, not quite sure what he was implying but having a sneaking suspicion,

"What do you mean?" She asked cautiously. Black chuckled, looking at Hermione,

"I mean, are you going steady or want to go steady with someone right now?" He asked, his eyes flicking in the direction of the back of the room. Hermione knew without looking that his eyes had gone straight to Tom, who was arranging his school things on his desk, ignoring Florence Greengrass and Lucille Parkinson's admiring stares and annoying giggles. Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that the girls had taken the class simply to be near Tom. The thought was revolting, to say the least.

"I am nothing of the sort." Hermione replied boldly, causing Black to raise his eyebrows,

"I don't know; you seemed pretty cozy last night. . ." He remarked with a wink. Hermione laughed, shaking her head,

"Black, I swear, we were not!" She insisted, still chuckling. Black shrugged, setting up his ink vat on his desk,

"Well, just trust me when I say that Tom Riddle doesn't gently stroke just _any _girl's hair." He said, playfully tugging on the end of Hermione's bushy hair. She slapped his hand away, shaking her head,

"Oh, I am so honored to have that distinction. No, seriously Black, there is nothing between Riddle and I. Honestly." She paused, then added, "Besides, I haven't even known him for very long at all!" Black shrugged,

"I've known him for seven years now, and I still don't actually know him. Riddle's an easy person to talk to, but a hard one to get to know." He explained, shaking his head slightly. Hermione believed every word that he said, realizing that he was correct in his assumption. Although Hermione had conversed with the future Dark Lord on several occasions, she found out very little real information about him. It was all just idle conversation, something to pass the time. Hermione made a mental note to try and make the conversation a bit more personal.

"In that case, you have little ground to suppose him to have an interest in me." She said stubbornly.

"Actually, I think he has quite an interest in you. This entire time, he's done nothing but stare at you." Black pointed out, "Just don't make him fall in love too quickly. It might ruin his reputation." Hermione laughed at this; thinking Tom Riddle to be in love was just too absurd. Alphard Black smirked, "Oh, and don't forget about your admirer next to you in Muggle Studies." Hermione shook her head at him as he chuckled and flipped open his textbook to the proper page that appeared on the chalkboard. Hermione followed suit, turning her textbook to page 5: "Introduction to the Muggle Perception of the Wizarding World." _Oh, what fun._ Hermione thought, feeling as if her Muggle Studies class would end up to be quite dull.

"Good Morning, class! I am Professor Hotchkiss, your Muggle Studies teacher. As you all probably know, this is my first year at Hogwarts and I am very excited to begin the year with an advanced class such as yourselves." The young and fairly attractive witch who had assigned Hermione her seat earlier, now identified as Professor Hotchkiss, made her way to the front of the room, wand in hand. Beside Hermione, Alphard Black wolf-whistled softly at the new teacher, which earned a roll of the eyes from Hermione, "Now, if you haven't already, open your books to page five. We will begin with a discussion on the perception of the Wizarding World in Muggle society." She instructed, waiting for the class to arrive at the proper page, "As we're arriving at that page, I need a volunteer." She glanced down at the roster, "Miss Blishwick? Yes, Miss Blishwick. Would you copy the following text from this parchment onto the board? You may use your wand, yes, that's fine." Hermione, nodding, picked up her wand and stood, walking around her desk to take the parchment that the witch offered to her.

As Hermione began writing the text magically using her wand, her back turned to the class, she noted the awkward silence that befell the room. Wanting to finish as quickly as possible, she copied furiously, not even bothering to read what she wrote.

"Thank you much, Miss Blishwick. Five points to Slytherin." Professor Hotchkiss stated, fumbling with her hair, her inexperience and nervousness showing, "Erm, class, copy what is on the board, please. I need to fetch a book from my office. I won't be but a moment." As soon as she left the room, the class, predictably, erupted in conversation. Tom Riddle stood from his seat, conversing with Rosier and Wilkes for a moment, his eyes on Hermione.

"Blishwick, I must say, that was very beneficial for me." Black stated with a devilish wink. Hermione turned her attention to him, perplexed,

"Black, what do you mean?" She asked. Black grinned even more,

"Well, on one side of the room, I got to look at my attractive professor. On the other side, I got to look at your nice ass." Hermione's jaw dropped, completely at a loss for words.

"Mr. Black, that is clear disrespect of one of your House-mates. Ten points from Slytherin, and if I hear it again, it will be detention." Tom Riddle ratted out in a cool voice. Hermione looked up, surprised at his sudden closeness. She locked eyes with him, and could see the anger beneath the clam exterior. Black scoffed, looking down at his textbook with renewed interest.

_Well, maybe Black was onto something after all. . ._ Hermione thought, a smirk coming to her lips, _Maybe I have to make Tom Riddle fall in love with me. If that's even possible. _She quickly banished the thought, knowing that her efforts would be fruitless. No, all she needed to do was to get close enough to kill him, and no closer.Ignoring her internal dialogue_,_ Hermione gazed up at Tom,

"Thank you, Mr. Riddle. You always seem to be there to help me at the worst times." Tom Riddle studied her for a long moment,

"So it seems."

And that was all.

* ' * ' *

As Hermione entered the Great Hall, she was not at all surprised to find Nagini and Tom Riddle locked in conversation, heads bent together, Florence and Lucille shooting Nagini envious looks. Hermione shook her head slightly at this, annoyed at the constant female attention that Tom received; couldn't they tell that he was a psychotic maniac? _No, even I wouldn't be able to tell if I didn't already know, and I'm the one who even contemplated trying to make him fall in love with me, so I shouldn't be going on about constant female attentions. _Hermione thought glumly, making her way over to the almost empty Slytherin table. As she approached, Nagini looked up with a smile,

"Hermione, dear, won't you come and sit next to me?" She begged, but instead of patting to the empty bench next to her, she slid down and patted to the newly created spot between herself and Tom. Trying not to appear annoyed, Hermione instead plastered a smile on her face and replied,

"Of course!" She put her bag on the ground under the bench and slid in between Nagini and Tom. After sitting there awkwardly a few moments, noticing that Nagini barely gave her enough room, causing her to be very close to Tom, she turned to Tom, "How did you like Professor Hotchkiss?" Hermione found herself asking. Tom thought for a moment before replying,

"I am not sure, honestly. Her lack of experience greatly impedes her teaching. I reserve complete judgment, however, until I see her teach again." Tom Riddle answered carefully. Hermione nodded,

"I feel the same way about her." She conceded. Nagini looked at both of them,

"Is that your new Muggle Studies teacher?" After Tom and Hermione both nodded, Nagini snickered, "I hear all of the boys, and some of the girls, in that class are completely bonkers for her." She said casually, watching Tom the entire time. Tom shrugged,

"I have no doubt that disrespectful cads like Alphard Black would do nothing but stare at her the entire class, but I am immunes to that temptation." Tom said haughtily, "I have better things to do." Nagini snickered again, to the great annoyance of Tom, "Nagini, what in Merlin's name are you carrying on about?" She sighed, reaching around Hermione to stroke his shoulder, mindful of the gasps of Florence and Lucille,

"Nothing, my dearest Tom. Absolutely nothing." Tom shook his head, hardly mollified. At his lack of response, Nagini pried a bit more, "And what makes Alphard Black a, what was it? Disrespectful cad?" Tom shook his head again,

"Why don't you ask Hermione? Girls are better at relaying those type of stories than men anyway." He suggested, taking another bite of his lunch. Hermione did not miss him referring to her as a mere girl and himself as a man. Trying to hide her annoyance, she shrugged,

"Well, I don't really know if it's normal behavior for Black or not. Is he a flirt?" Nagini laughed,

"Flirt? Understatement of the century, Hermione, but do continue. What did he say?" Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat, noting that although Tom pretended to eat and not pay attention, he was listening to her every word,

"We were in Muggle Studies and we have assigned seats by last name. Naturally, Blishwick and Black are so close that we ended up sitting next to each other." Hermione explained, stopping for a moment, "Professor Hotchkiss asked me to write some text on the board, so I got up and did so quickly. Soon after that, Professor Hotchkiss had to fetch a book, so everyone began conversing when she left. When I returned to my seat, Black informed me that the class was very beneficial because he got to look at his attractive teacher on one side of the room and my. . . attractive, um, hind area on the other." Hermione paused, "Luckily, Tom heard the whole thing and took away house points for disrespect." Nagini, however did not appear to have heard this last part through her loud laughter,

"He told you you have a nice ass?" She exclaimed loudly, laughing even more at Hermione's mortified expression and Lucille and Florence's loud gasps and instant whispering. Finally, Tom turned his attention to Nagini,

"Nagini, it really wasn't funny. Black needs to know that he cannot simply talk to our house members in such a way." Nagini's laughter was reduced to snickers,

"Oh really, Tom? Since when have you cared about Black's constant flirtations? He has guts, you have to give him that."

"I'll give him nothing but house point deductions." Tom replied, sounding more than slightly annoyed with Nagini. She sighed,

"Don't get mad, Tom, I was only teasing you." Tom seemed to relax a little at her pleading, but not much. He ate the rest of his meal in silence, and at the conclusion of it, stood up and grabbed his bag,

"I will be in the library, if either of you require me." He said in his normal detached politeness, "See you both in our next class." With this remark, he quit the Great Hall. As he left, Rosier and Wilkes came in, nodding to Tom as they walked past. Nagini ignored them, and turned to Hermione,

"Hermione, did Tom really take away house points from Black?" She questioned, her voice unusually soft for Nagini. Hermione nodded,

"Yes, he did. Is it that unusual?" She questioned, perplexed. Nagini chuckled softly,

"Unusual? For the reason he took away house points, it's downright unheard of. I'm not even sure if he is supposed to be able to take away house points for that. Where was Tom sitting in the room? Close to you, I take it?" Hermione shook her head,

"No, we're in alphabetical order, so he sat near the back. I was on the front row." Nagini squealed, much to Hermione's dismay, "What is it, Nagini?"

"Oh, Hermione! My dear naïve Hermione!" Nagini exclaimed, dropping her voice low again, "I think he might have an interest in you. A _romantic_ interest." She said in a whisper, elbowing Hermione suggestively. Hermione shook her head quickly,

"No! That is utterly impossible!" She declared.

"What's utterly impossible?" Avery asked as he sat down beside Hermione, nodding at her in a friendly way. Wilkes and Rosier also joined the table, taking seats across from the two girls. Rosier smiled at Nagini,

"How are you today, Nagini?" He asked. Somehow, the smile and suddenly nice tone did not fit his personality. Nagini looked at her hand in a bored fashion,

"So-so; you know, just a typical day." Suddenly, Nagini brightened up, "Hey, did you know that the Quidditch pitch is open for training this weekend?" Rosier shook his head,

"Really? That's good that they're letting us get started earlier than usual this year." He remarked. Hermione looked at the two of them,

"Do you both play Quidditch?" She questioned. Nagini nodded,

"Yeah; Rosier is a beater and I am a Chaser." She replied, smiling, "I love Quidditch! It's one of my favorite things about Hogwarts." Hermione sighed,

"My friends both played Quidditch, but I never really had the guts to learn how to fly a broom. I detest flying!" Avery shook his head,

"Now, that's a shame, Blishwick. I'm rubbish at Quidditch, but flying a broom is so much fun once you get used to it!" He insisted with a warm smile. Nagini nodded in agreement,

"Yes, it is! It's freedom, pure freedom!" She declared, smiling at Hermione, "You know, I could teach you to fly a broom this weekend on the pitch. Just some low-pressure, basic flying." She offered. Hermione quickly shook her head,

"Oh, no! I tell you, I cannot fly a broomstick properly to save my life!" She argued, not wanting to get dragged into flying a broom. In truth, she was deathly afraid of flying. Lestrange and Malfoy joined the table at this moment. Avery turned to them,

"Clayton and Abraxus, you must help us! We think that Blishwick should come down to the Quidditch pitch with us on Saturday to learn how to fly a broom!" Malfoy nodded enthusiastically,

"Yes, that's a wonderful idea! Are you trying to go out for the Quidditch team this year?" He questioned. Hermione shook her head,

"Definitely not." She replied flatly, "But I guess I could go to the pitch with you all and watch. Do all of you play Quidditch then?" Nagini nodded,

"Most of us, anyway. As I said, I'm one of the Chasers and Rosier is a beater. Wilkes over there thinks that Quidditch is an idiotic sport-" Wilkes nodded in agreement at this statement. Nagini continued, "Lestrange is the other beater and Malfoy is a Chaser. Our keeper is a sixth year named Marcus Ackerley. Alphard Black is the Seeker, and our last Chaser position is currently open because Oswald graduated last year. Avery tried out for the team, but. . ."

"Nagini, I already said I'm rubbish at Quidditch!" Avery exclaimed with a good-natured laugh. Hermione nodded,

"Wow, that's really exciting that all of you are on the Quidditch team!" Hermione complimented appropriately. _They must really be talented._ Hermione thought, then added out loud, "Who is the captain this year?" Lestrange shrugged,

"We don't know yet. We find out in two weeks by owl, I believe." He replied, his tone appearing to be nonchalant, but Hermione could tell that he really wanted captain. Hermione nodded, about to ask a question, but then noticed that most of the students were getting up to go to class.

"Well, I'm off! See you all later!" Avery bade them good-bye, catching Hermione's eye, "See you, Blishwick!"

"Bye Avery!" She replied, then checked her schedule, "I have Defense Against the Dark Arts next."

"A happy coincidence." Tom Riddle said from behind Hermione. She jumped, and he raised his eyebrows, "I didn't mean to startle you, Miss Blishwick. I thought I remembered that we had almost all of the same classes, so I thought that I would return to escort you to class." Hermione was about to reply with an _Escort yourself, thank you very much!_ but then realized that this would not do much to friend the future Dark Lord,

"That is very considerate of you, Mr. Riddle. Thank you very much!" She responded with maybe a bit too much enthusiasm. Tom smirked at her, stooping down to pick up her bag and then offering her his arm. Hermione took it, wondering if this was to become a regular happening. She thought of the shock on Harry's face if he knew what was going on and chuckled internally. They began to walk out of the crowded Great Hall. Nagini gently bumped into Hermione as she breezed by, turning her head and shooting a wink in their direction.

"Do you play Quidditch, Mr. Riddle?" Hermione finally asked. Tom looked down at her,

"No, it is a silly sport." He paused, "Do you, Miss Blishwick?" Hermione chuckled, shaking her head,

"Oh, Merlin no! I cannot even fly a broomstick." She confessed, making an attempt to look slightly embarrassed. Tom smiled slightly,

"It is a useful skill to have. I cannot say that I don't enjoy flying, but I definitely don't enjoy Quidditch." He replied in his usual politeness. Taking a deep breath, Hermione stopped them in the deserted corridor that they were now walking though. She glance up at him, then looked back down. Tom waited so patiently for her to speak that it almost made her angry. Finally, Hermione spoke,

"Nagini offered to teach me how to fly on Saturday, but I know that she needs to train for actual Quidditch, so I was wondering if. . . well, I just wanted to know whether or not you would. . ." She swallowed, cursing her clumsiness of tongue. Tom looked down at her, smirking a little bit. The piece of hair that was ever so delicately out of place on his pale forehead, that attractive half-smirk he wore. . . some things were just not fair. Like Dark Lords being undeniably attractive.

"Yes." He said laconically. Hermione looked confused,

"Yes what?" Tom laughed; music to her ears.

"Yes I will come down to the pitch on Saturday and teach you how to fly. Have you a broom?" Hermione just stared back at him for a moment before shaking her head, unable to speak, never dreaming that he would actually say yes, "Very well, you can use mine." When Hermione still did not speak, Tom laughed again, "Well, that is what you want, isn't it? Me to teach you how to fly a broomstick?" Hermione quickly found her voice,

"Yes, yes it is." She managed to get out, getting a grip on her nerve, "Yes, that would be wonderful. Thank you so much!" Tom nodded,

"Anything for you, Miss Blishwick." He responded softly, sliding his arm out of hers and taking her hand, bringing it to his lips and laying a soft kiss on the back of her hand. If possible, Hermione's heart stopped. "Anything at all." He whispered again, his other hand finding the back of her neck, pulling the gap between them. Hermione felt the warm breath he exhaled on her lips, her heart now beating again. Not beating, pounding. His hand brought them closer; Hermione could almost feel his soft lips on her own, his dark eyes boring into her own. All of the sudden, Tom smirked, "Why, we're going to be late for class, Miss Blishwick!" He announced, pulling away and taking her arm. All of the rest of the brisk walk to class, Hermione could only think of one thing:

This was a dangerous game to play.

_Oh, Tom Riddle! _Hermione thought with an outward smirk,_ Don't play games with someone who can play them better._

"Mr. Riddle, thank you for so generously escorting me to class!" She exclaimed upon entering the classroom. Florence and Lucille whipped around at her use of his name so fondly, gaping. Tom smiled,

"Anything for you, Miss Blishwick." He declared yet again, and she knew that his cool lips on the back of her hand would be the death of her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the long delay; I was at an extensive academic summer program for a while, but I'm back now. So, following the tradition of Hobbits to give out presents to one's guests on one's birthday, here is Chapter 9! I hope that you enjoy it and it was worth the wait.

**Chapter 9**

"Are you quite alright, dear?" A woman Hermione knew to be Professor Merrythought asked. Hermione quickly snapped out of her daze,

"My apologies, professor. I suppose I was just daydreaming for a moment." Hermione apologized hastily, attempting to gather her thoughts and taking a closer look at Merrythought. The witch was definitely getting up into the years as far as age, with curly grey air and many wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.

"Not a problem, not a problem at all." Professor Merrythought replied jovially with a smile, "Now, why don't you go and choose a seat, hm? I don't assign them unless you give me trouble." She winked before bustling off to the front of the room. Hermione looked around for a place to sit, noticing that the class was mainly comprised of Slytherins, including almost all of Tom's cronies. Avery, Malfoy, Lestrange, Rosier, Nagini, and Tom himself were all there, along with Alphard Black.

"Hermione Blishwick! Sit with me!" Nagini begged, moving her books out of the empty seat next to her. Thankfully, Hermione would be sitting on near the wall, with Nagini on her left side and Tom several seats down from Nagini. Hermione walked over to the seat, dropping her books on the floor and sitting down.

"Thanks for saving me a seat." Hermione said as acknowledgement. Nagini shook her head,

"Oh, not a problem at all. I would much rather sit by you than those. . . boys." Lestrange, who was on the other side of Nagini, chuckled,

"I'm sure that's not what you mean, Nagini. You're simply naturally attracted to us." He responded teasingly. Nagini rolled her eyes before turning her attention back to Hermione,

"So, did you see the expression on Greengrass and Parkinson's face when you walked in with Tom? I must compliment you two on the excellent scheme! Their reaction made them look even more stupid than their natural disposition does." Hermione couldn't help but snicker, but then she realized that the two girls so mentioned had just moved to the desks behind them. Hermione nodded in their direction; Nagini smiled, "So nice of you to join us, ladies!" Florence looked at her with a sneer,

"We didn't sit over here to join_ you_, Nagini." She said pointedly, intending to insult. Of course, Nagini simply laughed,

"Oh, over here to stalk Tom, are you? Oh Tom Riddle!" She called to him. Tom looked at Nagini, eyebrows raised,

"To what occasion do I owe your rude interruption?" He asked coolly. Nagini smiled merrily, obviously enjoying herself,

"It appears, Tom dear, that these two ladies want your attention! Look, they even moved here from all of the way across the room! If that isn't commitment, I sure as hell don't know what is!" She exclaimed, much to Florence and Lucille's mortification. Hermione could barely contain her laughter.

"Now, Tom, we only thought that you might want some civilized company." Lucille said smoothly, recovering enough to shoot a disgusted glare at Nagini. Hermione looked towards Tom, curious to see his reaction. While it was clear that he did not care for the two giggly girls, he never said so in their company in order to keep up his appearance.

"I thank you for your concern, Miss Parkinson, Miss Greengrass." He replied politely, but there was nothing more; no hint of sincerity, mockery, or otherwise. Before Nagini could push on further, Professor Merrythough cleared her throat at the front of the classroom,

"Alright, everyone, welcome to your final year of Defense Against the Dark Arts! As you know, you are sitting in a NEWT level class, and I expect that you will work as such. NEWT exams are not easy, but I have faith that every one of you can earn a NEWT in this subject if you apply yourselves." Professor Merrythought announced, "Now, formalities out of the way, let us begin today's lesson. You may put down your wands for a moment; we will begin with a brief discussion today." Hermione, thinking this to be perfectly natural, placed her wand on her desk. Nagini, however, did so, but looked slightly perplexed.

"We never have discussions in here." Nagini whispered to Hermione by way of explanation.

"Alright, quickly now!" Merrythought instructed, summoning a chair for herself. After the confused whispers faded away, she spoke again, "In this class, we talk of defending ourselves against forces of evil and learning the dangers of the Dark Arts. What we fail to recognize sometimes in the darkness within ourselves- the fear and anger we carry within ourselves." Now, the room was silent. No discussion with this gravity had taken place before, that much was clear, "We can refuse to acknowledge that fear and anger, but there are certain dark creatures, spells, and people that can call them forth to use against us. Can anyone give an example? Miss Kosmachevskaia?" Surprisingly, Nagini was the first to raise her hand tentatively.

"Grindelwald." If the room was silent before, it sounded like a room of the dead now. Nobody move, nobody spoke. Hermione, on a bit of quick thinking on her part, looked down at her desk, then closed her eyes. _My parents were killed because of Voldemort, my parents in this time were killed by Grindelwald. . . _She repeated to herself, thinking of Voldemort, thinking of how much hurt and grief he caused her. The pain evident in her face was genuine.

"Come again, Miss Kosmachevskaia?" Merrythought questioned in a small voice.

"Grindelwald. Gellert Grindelwald, a German Dark Wizard." Nagini replied clearly, tossing her head, not at all aware or caring of the cold fear that had seized the room at the bold mention of the wizard, "Grindelwald and his followers travel around Europe, wreaking havoc and destroying lives. They make people go mad, attack muggles, all for the 'Greater Good.'" She continued, "But, worst of all, they make us fear going out of our own houses, living our own lives. They make us afraid of our own memories, afraid that the next day, we won't remember them at all." Hermione opened her eyes and looked up to Professor Merrythought, who was listening intently to Nagini. Tom also looked at Nagini, but then Hermione noticed that his gaze was not fixated on Nagini; it was fixated on her, Hermione. Nagini continued, "Grindelwald takes the power away from us to live, but only if we let him. There is no greater weakness then to let him take over. Let him come across the English Channel, let him try to take everything I have; I am not afraid. Fear is the greatest destroyer within us; let us cast it off. You speak of the darkness within ourselves, I speak of the strength that can turn our darkness into our greatness, our fear into courage, our unproductive anger into productive action. I say, let him come. There is nothing dark in this world unless we let it be dark."

Hermione stared at Nagini in nothing short of amazement. _This_ was the real Nagini; the girl not afraid of anything, or of anyone; not afraid to speak her mind or hear; not afraid of others opinions or contradictions. Hermione could see her own thoughts reflected on the faces of many others, even Florence and Lucille. Tom, his attention now fully on Nagini, had a strange look on his face. Was it. . . pride?

"Miss Kosmachevskaia. . ." Professor Merrythought began softly, "An excellent example, and a powerful one."

"Thank you, professor." Nagini replied, her eyes still serious and calculating.

"Miss Kosmachevskaia spoke of our own personal power to fight against the forces of evil, and she is wholly correct. After all, if you don't invest fully into a spell, it will not perform to its full potential. Today, we will be discussing the most useful spells in repelling infiltration of the mind, which can be a powerful tool that many dark wizards and creatures utilize. Turn to page 27 in your books and we will discuss what exactly we mean by the term infiltration of the mind." Merrythought instructed as she, too, opened a textbook. Hermione reached for her bag, fishing through it for her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook.

Ron laying drunk on the ground. Harry laying dead in the woods, defeated by Voldemort at last. Bodies, bodies everywhere, of her friends and schoolmates, killed in the Battle of Hogwarts. Her teeth growing at an abnormally fast rate in front of her classmates. Voldemort's high-pitched, cold laughter. An F on a Divination test. Walking into her house, calling for her parents, finding her mother on the floor, the light gone from her eyes, dead, her father calling her name before the same thing happened to him.

Behind her, Lucille Parkinson shrieked, Florence Greengrass began to cry. Professor Merrythought, her face white, began to look wildly around the room, wand gripped tightly in her shaking hand. Nagini covered her eyes, shaking her head. Lestrange gasped, saying "No, no, no. . ." over and over again. The whole room filled with tears, moans, words repeated over and over again.

Hermione leaped to her feet, wand held firmly in hand, pushing the bad memories away, looking for the source of her misery.

A dead, decaying hand unlatched the window.

Her breath caught in her throat. _This can't be happening! _She thought frantically.

A black, cloaked figure swept into the room, its head turning in her direction, gliding towards her, it's decaying hand stretched out in front of it.

A Dementor. Hermione had no time to wonder why or how it was there; she only had time to act.

_The first time Ronald kissed me, Harry and Ronald, the Yule Ball, the day I got my job offer, the day Voldemort was defeated forever. _The memories seemed distant, muted, her happy thoughts so long forgotten that they refused to recall to their once vivid images. The Dementor drew closer. Searching her mind frantically, she finally thought, _The day when I return to a better future! Ronald will not be a drunk, Harry will not be tortured by memories, Ginny will not be dying, my parents will be alive and happy! _The memory filled her up, made her smile. The Dementor shrieked, starting to back away. Hermione raised her wand,

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She exclaimed, her Patronus, an otter, breaking free from her wand. The Dementor wailed, a most terrible sound. The otter attached itself to the Dementor, which raced towards the window. After a moment, the room felt warmer, her mind felt clearer; it was gone.

Hermione gasped, collapsing back into her chair, her strength drained. Professor Merrythought quickly sprang into action, recovering from her initial shock,

"N-nobody panic! It's gone. I will summon the Headmaster immediately." She quickly rushed into her office. Nagini stared at Hermione,

"Hermione. . . that was incredible!" She said in amazement. Hermione smiled weakly, still recovering her strength. Slowly, the her vision became black. _Oh, this is nice. A perfect time to sleep. _She thought dreamily.

"Hermione, eat this." She felt something being held at her lips, an arm around her back, supporting her. Hermione obediently took a bite. . . chocolate. Her eyes flew open and were immediately met with the sight of concerned eyes, a porcelain face, dark hair perfectly in place. One of his arms was around her back, cradling her. Tom Riddle.

Immediately, Hermione tried to get up.

"No, no, Miss Blishwick, be careful. You just passed out, you'll make yourself do it again." He said in a surprisingly gentle voice, "Here, eat some more chocolate. It will help." With the knowledge that if she did what he said, he would let her go faster, Hermione obeyed, "How are you feeling?"

"A little woozy, I'll admit." She replied softly, shaking her head a little.

"Miss Blishwick? Miss- oh, Miss Blishwick! Tom, will you take her to the hospital wing? I'll have the Headmaster report there directly." Professor Merrythought asked upon seeing Hermione laying on the floor.

"Right away, professor." He obeyed, putting his other hand underneath Hermione's knees before picking her up,

"No, no!" Hermione panicked, "I can walk, I promise!"

"Nonsense. The hospital wing is quite close, but you are in no state to walk." Tom Riddle said in a cool, commanding voice. Within a moment, they were out of the room and walking down the hall, Tom carrying her.

"Why don't you just use a levitating charm? It would be easier for you." Hermione said tentatively, desperately hoping that he would put her down. There was no guarantee that he was even taking her to the hospital wing; for all she knew, he could be taking her to her death. Tom shook his head,

"I would be afraid that something would go wrong with it. You are in too fragile of a state to argue." Hermione started to say that she could argue just fine, thanks, when she felt herself getting light-headed again. Grudgingly, she had to admit that he might be right. The only comfort to this realization was how the young Voldemort would cringe if he knew that she was cradling a mudblood. Happy in this knowledge, Hermione fought the urge to smile.

"Miss Blishwick. . . what you did in that classroom was nothing short of incredible." He began softly, "A Patronus charm, achieved with as much accuracy as it was is something even grown wizards cannot do. I am not even sure I could do it." Hermione knew that this was meant to be a compliment, but she fought the urge to scoff, "I must wonder though, where did you learn it?" He asked even softer than before.

"One of my friends taught it to me." Hermione replied, confident in the knowledge that she was not lying, "A very powerful wizard; he achieved the charm when he was only thirteen." Tom's eyes widened; for once, he was genuinely shocked,

"Thirteen? How? I must meet your friend!" He exclaimed, the first bit of true emotion that she ever heard from him. Hermione smiled a little,

"Oh, you don't want to meet him, trust me." She replied without explanation, "Besides, even if you did want to meet him, you can't. He disappeared without a trace; no one, not even I, knows where he went." This last part, of course, was a lie, but the underlying message behind it was true; there was no way that Tom Riddle could meet Harry Potter if Harry Potter wasn't even born yet. Tom Riddle looked down at Hermione for a moment,

"It's curious, you know." He mused. Suddenly, Hermione felt extremely nervous,

"What's curious?" She questioned, dreading the response. Whatever it was, it was probably not good. Tom shrugged,

"You seem surrounded by misfortune, Miss Blishwick. Your parents are hunted by Grindelwald for no apparent reason, a Dementor gets into Hogwarts, something that has never happened before, and goes straight for you, your friend disappears without a trace. . . it is very curious, Miss Blishwick. Very curious indeed." He said slowly, looking at her with raised eyebrows. For a few moments, Hermione did not, could not, reply.

"It is curious." She conceded finally, offering no further explanation. Something shone in Tom's eyes. Was it. . . disappointment?

"It appears that we are at the Hospital Wing. Madame Bladvak will wish to see you; she's a bit fussy, but will not bother you too much." The Hospital Wing was empty when Tom Riddle entered carrying Hermione. As soon as they entered, the nurse now identified as Madame Bladvak came bustling into the room,

"Professor Merrythought informed me that you were coming, Mr. Riddle. Thank you for bringing Miss Blishwick here. Will you set her on the bed over there? I'll take it from here." She said quickly, fetching something from a cabinet at the far end of the room. Tom obediently laid Hermione on the indicated bed, taking great care to make sure that he did so gently.

"Madame Bladvak, would you mind if I stayed? I am so worried about Miss Blishwick." He asked, his face the perfect mask of concern. As Madame Bladvak came to Hermione, wand out and wielding even more chocolate, she sighed,

"I suppose so, Mr. Riddle. Just be sure to not upset Miss Blishwick; a Dementor encounter can be quite trying, especially if it is the first time. Nasty, disgusting creature, Dementors are. They make you feel as if all of the happiness is gone from the world, and from your memory, forever. Terrible beings." She said softly, shaking her head, her tone very bitter, "But never mind me, Miss Blishwick. Here, eat some more chocolate."

"No, really Madame, I'm fine." Hermione protested, but the chocolate was shoved into her hand anyway. Sighing she ate a few bites in silence, feeling her strength returning to her, the dizziness wearing off. Both Tom and Bladvak observed in silence. Hoping to break the awkward silence, Hermione quickly swallowed and nodded, "Yes, that's much better."

"Good!" Madame Bladvak replied, "The Headmaster wished to see you. He should be here shortly. In the meantime, do you need anything else?"

"No need, Madame Bladvak, I'm already here." Professor Dippet announced, entering the Hospital Wing with a grave look on his face, followed by Professor Dumbledore, "Would it be alright if we talked to Miss Blishwick for a few minutes?"

"Yes, as long as you do not upset her. She has had a very trying experience." The nurse replied firmly, reminding Hermione very much of Madame Pomfrey.

"Of course we will be careful, Madame." Professor Dippet assured her, summoning two chairs to rest next to the bed. Hermione propped up against the pillows as Dippet and Dumbledore sat down. Tom still stood at the edge of the bed,

"Shall I leave, sir?" He asked politely. Dumbledore, however, replied,

"Yes, Tom. I think that would be best." Dippet shook his head,

"Albus, the boy is fine. Let him stay. He can give us a second source on the occurrence." He contradicted. Tom sat on the edge of the bed, saying ever so politely,

"Thank you, sir. I would like to know your view on what happened. It was unnerving, to say the least." Dippet nodded,

"I'm sure it was." He turned his attention to Hermione, "Miss Blishwick, I brought Albus in here because he is working on recovering your parents. I want you to be completely honest in your answers, since it might be able to aid us in your case. That being said, if there's anything that makes you upset or uncomfortable, let us know straight away." Hermione nodded,

"I understand, professor."

"Good. Now, tell us exactly what you saw. . ."

Hermione proceeded to explain to them the sudden influx of bad thoughts, the opening of the window, the climate of the room, the entrance and appearance of the Dementor, and her Patronus charm. All the while, Tom, Dumbledore, and Dippet listened intently, asking occasional questions for clarification. She then told them of the discussion that the class had been having before the Dementor appearance, feeling this to be important somehow. Dumbledore shook his head, the twinkle gone from his eyes,

"That certainly is an extraordinary coincidence, Miss Blishwick. The whole situation is both grave and mysterious. We will contact the Ministry of Magic and see why there is a Dementor unaccounted for, but, more importantly, how and why is came to Hogwarts." He assured her before turning to Tom, "Mr. Riddle, would you care to tell us what you saw?"

"Certainly, professor." Tom replied, thinking for a moment, "Well, I will not go through the details of the discussion, since Miss Blishwick relayed it most accurately. At the conclusion of the discussion, I was opening my textbook when I suddenly felt cold, inside and out. I began to remember unpleasant memories, especially ones from my childhood. I felt paralyzed, unable to act or to push the thoughts out of my head. The room became restless. Suddenly, I saw a decaying hand reach inside from the window and a creature enter. I knew it to be a Dementor from my studies, but I could not recall what to do. Suddenly, Miss Blishwick stood up as the Dementor moved towards her; it seemed to be strongly attracted to her. She raised her wand, yelling the incantation _expecto patronum. _I knew that this would conjure a Patronus, but, no offense intended to Miss Blishwick, I did not expect it to work. After all, the Patonus charm is one of the most difficult pieces of magic known. Despite this difficulty, a bright, pure manifestation of an otter, the Patronus, sprang from her wand, racing towards the Dementor. I felt an inexplicable joy inside, the warmth seemed to return to the room. The Dementor shrieked most horribly before being banished from the room. As everyone started to recover, I noticed a few strange things: first, Miss Blishwick suddenly seemed devoid of energy and passed out. Secondly, Professor Merrythought seemed completely in shock, so my theory that the Dementor was intentionally brought to Hogwarts was banished. I brought some chocolate to Miss Blishwick, on the instructions of Professor Merrythought, and then carried Miss Blishwick to the Hospital Wing. That is all." At the conclusion of his tale, both of the professors remained silent for a few moments,

"I think that it is clear that the Dementor was sent here intentionally." Professor Dippet said slowly, "I cannot even begin to imagine why, however. We will get to the bottom of this mystery though, I can assure you."

"Is there anything else, Tom? Anything that seemed strange or unusual besides the presence of the Dementor?" Professor Dumbledore asked, staring at Tom intently. Tom gazed back for a few moments,

"Well, there was one thing. . . a particular student's behavior. But, it could be nothing of importance." He said slowly.

"Tell us." Dumbledore stated. It was not a question.

"One student seemed disturbed as the Dementor's presence was first felt, but as soon as it entered, she drew her wand and watched it calmly, almost serenely." He paused, "It was as if she knew what was happening." He said the last part almost inaudibly.

"Who was it?" Dippet asked just as softly. Tom sighed, seeming genuinely disturbed,

"Nagini."


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:** I will not even attempt to justify the lengthy pause between updates. I apologize for the amount of time that it took. So, here's chapter ten, and it's a little longer than usual to make up for how long it took me to update. Please read and review! Also, I'm looking for a beta reader, so if you're interested, Private Message me.

Enjoy!

**Chapter Ten**

That night, the Common Room was abuzz with conversation about the rogue Dementor; it was described as "the most exciting thing at Hogwarts since that Myrtle girl bit the dust!" This statement made Hermione feel slightly sick, but she would only smirk in response to the comment, just like a good Slytherin would do.

"Blishwick!" Several voices chorused as she entered the Common Room after dinner. Nagini, who had been walking with her, smirked in her direction,

"Oh Hermione, you're _famous_!" She exclaimed, only half of her voice dripping with sarcasm, the other half quite serious. Before Hermione could reply, she found herself surrounded by a group of first and second years,

"Blishwick, tell us how you fought off the Dementor!"

"Blishwick, show us a Patronus Charm! We've never seen one!"

"Blishwick, what does the room really feel like when a Dementor comes in?"

"Blishwick-"

"Miss Blishwick is still exhausted from the ordeal and will not be speaking on it at the present time. Now, don't you all have studying to do?" Tom Riddle ratted off coolly, gazing at the group of younger students.

"S-s-sorry, sir." One of them stuttered, the bravest of the lot. The others, taking this boy's futile attempt as satisfactory, quickly retreated to the opposite end of the Common Room. Hermione smiled faintly,

"Thank you, Mr. Riddle, but studying so late in the evening?" She asked softly. Tom shrugged, his perfectly sculpted features mimicking her slight smile,

"Ah, well, they could use the practice, I suppose. Will you join us?" He questioned, gesturing over to the usual collection of the best couches. On them sat the usual crew; Lestrange, Rosier, Malfoy, Avery, and Wilkes.

"Certainly!" Hermione replied, glad to be away from the overly eager young students. As she began to walk towards the couches, she noticed that Tom did not bother to invite Nagini. Nagini, however, did not seem to notice, and walked with them to the gathering of her friends, tossing her head, hips oscillating, her red lips curling into a smile. _Maybe Tom's right. . . maybe there is something odd going on with Nagini. _Hermione thought for a moment, but quickly banished the thought. Tom Riddle was a master of manipulation, and a future Dark Lord. There was no way she could ever trust him.

"Ah, Riddle, you brought two lovely girls with you! Much appreciated." Lestrange greeted them with a dashing smile. Hermione just shook her head, but Nagini's smile remained on her face,

"Lestrange, you're too much!" She exclaimed, sitting down next to Malfoy, who looked positively livid, and humming softly to herself. Hermione took a seat on the only couch left; between Tom and Wilkes. It was an awkward seat, to say the least, but no one seemed to notice her discomfort; all eyes were fixed upon Nagini, who pretended not to notice.

"Do tell us, why so cheerful, Nagini?" Rosier questioned, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group. Nagini tossed her hair back grinning,

"Oh, no reason, dear Rosier. Must a girl always have a reason for being so cheerful?" She questioned in a breathless, airy voice so unlike Nagini that it was a bit startling. Tom, however, simply shook his head,

"Nagini, you might as well stop faking and tell us how we wronged you this time." He said flatly, not buying the impossibly giddy act. Nagini's face fell slightly and she leaned forward in her seat,

"And what on earth makes you think that you did something wrong, Tom? What did you do?" She asked, her voice still sweet, but with a quality to it that made Hermione extremely uneasy. Tom's lips smirked,

"Ah, my dear Nagini, it is nothing. Absolutely trivial to the point of nothing." He answered cryptically, but the answer seemed to satisfy Nagini, who leaned back in her seat again and continued humming quietly. Tom, too, leaned back in his seat lazily. Just as the group was on the verge of a strange silence once again, Alphard Black appeared in the Common Room.

"Hullo there, fellow Slytherins!" He greeted the group with a smile, ignoring that fact that he was not exactly wanted there, "Oh, and our heroine of the hour, Miss Blishwick!" He said with a smile and a wink.

"Hello, Black!" She replied amongst the chorus of hellos.

"_Accio armchair_!" He said with a lazy flick of his wand, startling several students as the armchair came whizzing through the air to their corner of the Common Room. With an amused smile, he took a seat.

"Are the theatrics really necessary, Black?" Nagini questioned with a roll of her eyes. Black smiled at her,

"Oh, most certainly, Nagini. _Most_ certainly!" He responded, his voice sounding completely serious, but somehow, nothing Alphard Black did seemed serious at all. Nagini clicked her tongue a little, shaking her head. Nagini, along with Tom, did not seem to be particularly fond of Black. Hermione thought that she should ask Nagini about it later in the evening.

"Come of it, Nagini, he was just having a bit of fun." Wilkes responded defensively, breaking his usual silence. Nagini shrugged,

"I was merely asking a question." She responded, and the group fell into silence, "Why the hell is everyone so quiet today?" She asked loudly, gathering a few stares from the other students outside of the little group. Malfoy shrugged,

"Maybe the issue is that you're simply too loud, Naginski." He responded acidly with a glare at the girl seated next to him. Nagini laughed, throwing her arm around his as she leaned back in the chair,

"Oh Abraxus, do let our little scuffle in potions the other day go! It was nothing."

"If I do recall correctly, you were the one that started it." He replied stiffly, glaring at her arm that resided around his neck.

"Actually, I think. . ." The two fell into heated conversation once again, causing Hermione to shake her head and lean her head against the back of the couch. Tom looked away from Nagini and Malfoy and smiled slightly,

"You look rather tired, Miss Blishwick." He commented, his eyes unreadable as ever. Hermione sighed,

"Yes, well, it has been an eventful day, to say the least. It takes another day or so to recover fully from a Dementor encounter." She responded. Too late did she notice the slight spark in his eye. She waited for his reply, dreading it, feeling as if she had let something slip.

"Do you make it a habit to encounter Dementors regularly?" He questioned casually, his eyes fixed upon hers. Remembering that Lord Voldemort could always tell when someone was lying, she broke the eye contact,

"No. . . reading. Yes, I've read a lot about them in my studies." She answered somewhat lamely.

"I see. Do you read a lot of ancient runes?" He asked. Thinking his questions to be slightly impertinent, Hermione snapped her gaze back to his,

"I do, actually. Why exactly do you want to know? If you want a book suggestion, all you have to do is ask. I regret I cannot lend you any books, however, because they are all back in Australia." Hermione responded confidently. Tom looked slightly taken aback, but recovered smoothly,

"Oh, I don't want your books, Hermione." The way he stated the comment unnerved her slightly, "I would say that you should have your books sent over though, but I am not sure it would be entirely safe. It would, however, probably lend to your comfort. Books are very much like old friends."

"That they are." Hermione agreed, surprised once again that Tom Riddle Jr. could carry on a seemingly normal conversation. Hermione yawned, politely covering her mouth as she did so, but realizing just how much of a toll the Dementor attack had taken on her. Deciding that it would be best if she got an early start on sleep, she stood up, addressing the group,

"Well, I regret it, but I'm extremely tired. I think I'm going to go on to bed." She said. Avery, who had been quiet most of the evening, smiled and said,

"Goodnight, Blishwick! I hope you feel more refreshed in the morning." The others followed suit with their goodnight's, Nagini barely pausing from her argument with Malfoy to say that she would catch her later, and Alphard Black standing up and saying goodnight. Tom stood up also,

"I will escort you up to your dormitory, Miss Blishwick." He said. It was not an offer. Panicking slightly, wondering what could possibly motivate Tom Riddle to do such a thing, Hermione refused,

"Oh no, Mr. Riddle, I will not trouble you with so trivial a thing." She politely replied. He shook his head, offering her arm with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes,

"But I _insist._" He pressed. Reluctantly, Hermione took his arm, not wanting to make any bigger of a scene. Several members of the Slytherin Common Room eyed her curiously, including Lestrange and Black. Hermione swallowed, attempting to squelch the nervousness that stirred in her throat.

"Goodnight again, everyone." She said as her final goodnight, hoping it would not be her final goodbye. _But they would know if something happened. . . wouldn't they? _She thought frantically. _But are they really my friends? Or is this just part of some elaborate plot and they're all Death Eaters? _Resisting the urge to grab her wand, Hermione firmly held onto Tom's arm and followed him out of the Common Room and up the stairs.

"Now, most male members of our House cannot cross this point." He said as they began to mount the spiral staircase, "They can only go to the first door, which is their own dormitories. My apartment as Head Boy, however, if at the very top of the Slytherin wing, so I can walk past the female dormitories. I can enter them, emergency only, but thankfully, that has never happened." Tom explained nonchalantly. Was it Hermione's imagination, or did he stare most intently at her during the last sentence?

"Do the same rules apply for girls?" She asked just as something to say. Tom shook his head,

"No. As far as I know, girls may enter the boy's dormitories with nothing happening." He paused, "Is there a reason you ask?" Hermione blushed,

"Oh, goodness no! Just curiosity, I suppose." She replied quickly, relieved to see that they had arrived at the door of the girl's dormitories.

"I enjoyed our brief conversation this evening. I will be most interested to continue it, Miss Blishwick." Tom Riddle stated formally.

"It was most stimulating." Hermione replied with a forced smile.

"I would also be most interested in learning the Patronus charm, since you seem to be in such control of it, if you do not mind. Did I not say that we should practice spells again sometime?" Tom said in a relaxed, cool manner, and easy smile slipping to his lips. Hermione gulped,

"You did indeed. Maybe sometime soon." She paused, "Thank you for your escort." His smile widened,

"Anything for you, Miss Blishwick. Goodnight."

Hermione, freed of her escort, quickly said "Goodnight!" and scurried into her dormitory. _Not that it would help if he were to attack me. . . _She thought glumly, remembering that Tom, as Head Boy, could enter her dormitory without punishment. With a sigh, Hermione began to rummage though her drawers, looking for her nightclothes.

A few minutes later, as Hermione was just about to finally climb into bed, Nagini entered the dormitory, yawning loudly and collapsing onto her bed. For a moment, she didn't speak. Then, she looked over at Hermione,

"You know, I am glad that Florence and Lucille flirt so much downstairs in the evening. It keeps them out of the dormitory." Hermione smirked, nodding in agreement,

"They are exceedingly annoying. . . not to mention exceedingly dim-witted." She concurred, sitting down on her bed and looking over at Nagini, who lazily lounged on her bed. At the moment, everything seemed to be returning to normal; Hermione, however, knew that Nagini was unpredictable. Deciding to test the waters a little, Hermione softly asked, "Nagini. . . what happened? Earlier, I mean."

Nagini looked over at Hermione, shrugging,

"Oh, nothing. Honestly." She paused, "Well, something, though it was very little. Just a little jealousy, I suppose." If Hermione was expecting an answer, it definitely would not be this one.

"Jealousy? Of whom?" She asked, puzzled. Nagini laughed lightly,

"Well, of you, dear Hermione!"

Now, Hermione was confused. Very confused.

"Nagini, if it's about the Dementor. . ."

"Oh, no, it's not about the Dementor. I will admit that I was amazed that you performed the Patronus charm so well, but that's not enough to make me jealous. No, I am jealous of the relationship you have with Tom." She explained, sitting up and looking over at Hermione, "He likes you, Hermione. A great deal."

"Do you have any. . . romantic inclinations towards him?" Hermione asked softly. Nagini quickly shook her head,

"Hell no! I'm just used to being his closest friend, and it's uncomfortable when someone else comes into the picture." Somehow, Hermione doubted that Tom Riddle Jr. had _any_ true friends, much less close ones.

"I'm not in the picture, Nagini. I don't think he even likes me at all!" At this remark, Nagini laughed heartily,

"Poor, hopeless Hermione! Why are you so afraid to acknowledge a man's fascination with you? You already have half of the male population of Slytherin wrapped around your little finger!" Hermione smirked,

"Well, you have _all_ of them wrapped around _your_ little finger." She shot back. Nagini grinned, brushing her hair off of her shoulder,

"True. All in a day's work." She replied, "But you must forgive me. It's just so much fun!"

"Even with Alphard Black?" Hermione questioned delicately.

"Oh, god no! That BOY is a goddamn idiot!" Nagini spat, shaking her head, "I've come so, so close to hexing him when he's not paying attention. So close. Soon, I don't think I'll be able to contain myself."

"Is he that bad?" Nagini snorted,

"That bad? He's entirely bad! He can't keep his nose out of everyone else's business and is always following me, Tom, Malfoy, Lestrange and the rest like the plague!" Nagini paused, "It's almost like he's trying to catch us so he can get us thrown out. He hates us." Hermione's ears pricked up,

"Trying to catch you? Doing what?" Nagini looked at Hermione,

"Doing anything, anything at all that we're not supposed to, even if it's just cutting class." She replied, but Hermione knew that she was lying. Did the Death Eaters exist at this point in history? It was clear Tom had enough followers to have them, but she couldn't be sure. Nagini yawned, "Well, I'm beat, Hermione. I'm going to go to bed. See you in the morning?"

"Yeah, see you in the morning!" Hermione replied, she, too, laying down in her bed, "I'll get the lights." She grabbed her wand, "_Nox_."

The room fell into darkness.

* ' * ' *

Saturday came quickly and as a relief to Hermione from her school work. Although she had never disliked schoolwork, she felt particularly bored of it because of its redundant nature. As Hermione got up on Saturday, treating herself to sleeping until 8:00, she noticed that Nagini was not in their dormitory. Hermione looked around, confused at the girl's absence, since Nagini did not seem to be a morning person. Shaking her head, Hermione stood up, stretching and heading into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Twenty minutes later, a good book tucked safely under her arm, Hermione opened the door and descended the staircase into the Common Room.

"Good morning, Miss Blishwick!" Hermione jumped at the voice, turning towards its source: Tom Riddle sat in one of the armchairs in the otherwise empty Common Room.

"Good morning, Mr. Riddle!" She greeted, still a little jittery.

Tom Riddle smiled, "Did I startle you, Miss Blishwick? I'm terribly sorry." Hermione quickly shook her head, gathering her wits up enough to answer,

"No, no, I just was thinking and not entirely paying attention." She explained, this time, being entirely truthful.

"Yes, I could tell." Tom replied with smile, "Have you eaten yet?" Hermione shook her head,

"No, I was just going to grab some toast before heading out towards the lake. It is such a nice day." She answered.

"My dear Miss Bliwshwick, have you forgotten our plans for today?" He asked, sounding slightly offended, but mostly something else. Was it amusement? When Hermione just looked at him, thinking hard, he smiled yet again, "I had promised to teach you to fly a broomstick today. It is perfect flying weather; the others are already down at the pitch. It's the only thing that will make Nagini actually get out of bed before ten o'clock on weekends." A feeling of dread filled Hermione; she had forgotten about her little stunt in asking Tom to teach her how to fly. Why had that seemed like a good idea at the time? She couldn't even remember.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I had quite forgotten!" Hermione said, desperately trying to think of something else to say, "But are you sure that you really want to help me? I don't want to waste your time; I really am terrified of flying." Tom stood up, walking a few paces across the Common Room until he stood in front of Hermione. With a small smile, he reached forward, taking the book out of her hand,

"You know that I am in no way opposed to reading in the slightest, but I must entreat you to take a little risk, Miss Blishwick." With a wave of his wand, he sent the book zooming back up the stairs and to Hermione's dormitory, "_Accio broomstick!_" He added, waiting for his own broomstick to arrive by his side, "It won't be a waste of my time." At that moment, his broom, narrowly missing Hermione's head, raced into his outstretched hand.

"O-okay. But only if you're sure." Hermione stuttered, knowing that there was no getting out of this now. Tom's smile widened,

"I am quite sure. Come, we'll eat breakfast on the way to the pitch." He extended his arm to Hermione.

She took it.

* ' * ' *

"Hermione!" Nagini exclaimed with a smile, waving from up in the air, one hand waving, the other grasped firmly to her broomstick, "Hold on, I'll be right there!" And with that, Nagini went into a quick dive, hurtling towards the ground at a breakneck speed before leveling out at the last minute, "I'm so glad that you decided to come! And look, you even dragged Tom out of the castle on a nice day! Truly, it is amazing."

Nagini certainly seemed to be in her element on a broom; her curls flew around her unchecked, her lips in a smile of pleasure.

"Blishwick!" Abraxus Malfoy greeted, joining Nagini on the ground, "Good to see you! Ready to fly?"

"Well. . ." Hermione chuckled nervously, repeating again and again in her mind exactly how much of a mistake this whole stunt was. Tom lightly put a hand on Hermione's shoulder,

"She'll be fine. I told her there's really nothing to flying." He answered for her, and Hermione could not help but be grateful for the answer. Nagini caught her eye, raising her eyebrows a little, but simply saying,

"Of course she will be! Just start out slow, and don't worry if you don't get it right away." Hermione nodded,

"Okay, I'll try!" Nagini gave her an encouraging smile before kicking off from the ground and taking off once more, Malfoy doing the same. Hermione could not help but admire how well they both flew as they went through drills, throwing a beat-up quaffle back and forth. Indeed, this seemed to be the only time that Malfoy and Nagini got along.

"Alright, I'm not going to bore you with all of the formalities associated with broomstick safety. Just know that you can quite easily fall off and break your neck and be done with it." Tom Riddle said crisply, Hermione's stomach dropping at his words,

"Mr. Riddle, that doesn't make me feel any better." He smirked,

"It's not supposed to." He replied, and the tiny bit of tenderness that Hermione had felt but a few moments before was gone with his arrogant response, "So, I'll put the broom on the ground, and you start by putting your right hand over the broom and saying 'up'." Hermione, slightly humiliated by the fact that she had done this her first year of school, did as she was told,

"Up!" She said firmly, and the broom floated up into her broom. Without waiting for his instruction, she mounted the broom.

"Okay, now just try kicking off and floating for a moment." Tom commanded, and, again, Hermione did so. She kicked off and hovered a foot off the ground or so, "Try and find a center of balance." He instructed. After a good deal of wobbling, Hermione finally managed to get the broom to remain still, "Okay, now wait one moment; I'll go and get one of the school's brooms so I can ride along side you." Tom said, turning and walking towards the broomstick cupboard at the far end of the pitch.

"How's it coming?" Nagini asked, flying down to the ground next to Hermione, who was still hovering slightly,

"Well, alright, I guess. Tom's gone to get another broomstick."

"Oh, because you want to ride his?" Nagini asked, winking suggestively. Hermione smacked her on the arm lightly,

"Nagini!" Laughing loudly, Nagini smiled,

"What? It was just a question." She paused, "Seriously, though, I would be careful. My petty jealousy doesn't amount to anything, but I think that Florence and Lucille have it out for you for spending time with their precious Tom." Nagini gestured behind her. To her horror, Hermione saw the two girls seated up in the stands, pretending to study.

"Oh, fantastic!" Hermione exclaimed sarcastically, "Now, they'll taunt me forever if I fall!"

"Who will taunt you forever?" Lestrange asked, walking up to the pair, his own broomstick in hand, "Oh, and hello, Blishwick! Nice to see you out here."

"Florence and Lucille." Hermione replied, nodding towards the place where the two girls were sitting,

"Ignore them. All they are are two pretty faces, and nothing more. They're harmless." Lestrange answered, mounting his broom, "Well, I better start flying before Nagini murders me for being late."

"That I will!" Nagini said, wagging her finger at him.

"Alright, I have one of the school's better brooms. It will do for the occasion." Tom told Hermione as he walked up, holding a gently used broom in his hand.

"Riddle! Good to see you out here at last. Miss Blishwick, you truly are a miracle worker." Lestrange said, smiling at her before kicking off.

"We'll talk later, Hermione." Nagini said with a significant look before kicking off as well. Once again, it was only Hermione and Tom.

"Let's try a little bit of low flying now, just at the height that you were hovering. I'll be right beside you, just in case if something goes wrong, which it probably will." Tom said in his most gentle voice. Deeply annoyed with his cleverly embedded insults, Hermione laughed,

"Well, perhaps you should just teach Florence and Lucille over there to fly instead of me, if I'm so accident prone. I'm sure they would _love_ to learn." Tom followed her gaze to the two girls, who instantly began waving at him,

"Good morning, Tom!" Florence Greengrass called, smiling absurdly and waving. Tom Riddle returned her smile with a dashing one of his own,

"Good morning!" He replied with a little wave that made both of the girls blush. Hermione rolled her eyes. Suddenly, Tom turned his attention back to her,

"Okay, so hold the broom like this." He leaned over her, taking her hands in his own and placing them in the proper position on the broom, "Now lean slightly forward." His hand lightly touched the small of her back, pushing her forward slightly.

Hermione's heart pounded in her chest at his touch, his closeness. The gasps of the two girls with satisfyingly hilarious.

"Stay right there, and kick off." Hermione kicked off, hovering about three feet off the ground. Tom got onto his broom and hovered beside her, "Now, lean forward."

Soon, Hermione and Tom were taking slow, careful laps around the pitch, increasing their altitude each time slowly.

"That's it, Hermione!" Nagini called encouragingly, "Come on, come up here!"

"I can't!" Hermione replied, terrified, her heart about to beat right out of her chest.

"I'm right here, Hermione. Come on! Tom's spotting you."

"That's okay, Miss Blishwick. Don't do it if you're too scared." Tom Riddle said to her, and only then did Hermione realize that he was enjoying her fear. That made something snap inside Hermione,

"Coming, Nagini!" She announced, and took off from her current altitude to join Nagini up near the goal rings. Her fear gone, replaced by annoyance and anger, Hermione zoomed up beside Nagini, only wobbling a tiny bit. Tom seemed slightly surprised, but he continued to spot her, flying a few feet below and behind her.

"Catch!" Malfoy called to her, tossing the quaffle in her direction. To Hermione's astonishment, she dove a little to the left and caught it. Nagini clapped,

"Wonderful! We'll make a chaser out of you yet! Here, throw it to me!" Hermione tossed it over to Nagini, poorly, but luckily, Nagini still managed to dive and catch it with ease. Nagini then tossed it to Tom, who put it through the goal before catching it again and sending it in Malfoy's direction.

The rest of the morning passed pleasantly enough, with the little game of catch they had going on. Eventually, Hermione managed to become tolerable at the game, although she knew that in the heat of a real Quidditch game, she would fail miserably.

As Hermione, Nagini, Tom, Malfoy, and Lestrange headed up the castle for some lunch, Hermione walked beside Lestrange, who was eagerly trying to invite her to Hogsmeade. Nagini and Tom walked together behind them, engaged in conversation.

"Lestrange, come here for a moment!" Malfoy called to his friend from up ahead, pointing towards the lake.

"I'll be right back, Blishwick." Lestrange promised her, jogging ahead to catch up with Malfoy. As Hermione continued walking, she heard snippets of Tom and Nagini's conversation.

"Either you or Hermione need to be our last Chaser this year! Come on, it will be fun." Nagini said pleadingly,

"No thank you, I do not like Quidditch. Though, I must say that today was rather enjoyable."

"And why was that?" Nagini prodded. Hermione knew that there would be a smirk on her face as she said it.

"Well, flying is fun, I will admit. And spotting Blishwick today made me realize that Alphard Black might not be a total idiot after all."

"Why's that?" Nagini asked, sounding doubtful.

"It isn't enough to seriously interest me, but I will concede: Blishwick really does have a nice ass."

Nagini laughed.

Hermione's jaw dropped.


	11. Chapter 11

***Author's Note:**

*This is the fixed version of chapter 11. There was an error when uploading the document and it accidentally copied the last section twice. This is now FIXED.

Surprise! A fast update! I'm beginning to steer the story in more of the original direction that I intended, so here you go. Let me know what you think! Cheers!

**Chapter 11**

Monday came all too quickly for Hermione's taste, and she soon found herself awake, once again, at 6:30 in the morning. As Hermione got up from her bed, she glanced over to Nagini's bed and found it empty. Further down the dormitory, Florence and Lucille remained fast asleep. Hermione quietly picked up her clothes and walked into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

As Hermione got ready for the day, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was slowly beginning to lose her purpose in traveling back in time. Her sole purpose should be to kill Tom Riddle, to kill Voldemort. Instead, she found herself getting caught up in Hogwarts.

_Well, it's not exactly my fault. I think that's it's clear that I can't kill him while we're in Hogwarts; there's no way out once I do. _Hermione thought as she attempted to style her hair, realizing that she wasn't just making excuses for herself; she was right. There was no way to kill Tom Riddle while inside Hogwarts, especially since, at the moment, she had no way of getting back to the future when she did. Sighing Hermione, quickly finished styling her hair and exited the bathroom.

When she arrived back into the dormitory, Florence and Lucille were both starting to stir, and Nagini was still missing. Assuming Nagini to be at breakfast with Tom already, Hermione grabbed the book of ancient Runes that she had checked out from the library the week before and dropped it in her bag, leaving the dormitory before she would be forced to talk to Florence and Lucille.

The Common Room was completely deserted, and the fire was cold. It sent prickled up Hermione's spine to see the usually populous place so quiet, and made her inexplicably nervous. Shaking off the feeling, Hermione sat down in one of the comfortable armchairs and opened the old book.

The book was strange, to say the least; its very title, _The Future_, was strange enough to begin with, but something about the way the book was written sent chills to Hermione's heart. It was written in first person, although no author was given.

_I believe in The Future, a place where wizards will not hide anymore, and where the Wizarding World will be the real world, and the only world. I have great faith in The Future, for it is bright for wizards. We will continue to throw off the oppression that has buried us under hundreds of years. When I was a boy, I dreamed of this world. I dreamed it. Now, I shall live it. And by doing so, I shall. . ._

Hermione read fairly quickly, the runes not giving her problems until she reached the word "shall." After that, the runes were spider-like and thinly scrawled, looking handwritten, and they were unlike any rune she had ever seen before in her life. Hermione brought the book closer to her face, trying to decipher the runes without much success. Suddenly, Hermione heard voices.

"You must understand the issue, Tom. They're suspicious." A girl that sounded like Nagini said up the stairs. Hermione heard a door close. Thinking quickly, Hermione cast a Disillusionment Charm on herself and then grabbed her bag, moving to the far end of the Common Room. She hid her bag behind the bookcase and then crouched next to the fireplace, hopefully out of sight of Tom and Nagini as they came down the staircase. A few moments later, Tom and Nagini did arrive into the common room, heads bent together and to Hermione's great disappointment, whispering.

"No! You can't do that!" Nagini suddenly said, sounding angry. Tom smirked a little,

"Shh, not so loud, Nagini. Do you want the entire Slytherin House to hear you?" He snapped. Nagini looked livid for a moment, but then seemed to calm down,

"You're right, of course." She responded, dropping her voice down lower again, "But you can't do that. It's too risky."

"Nagini, I have to. There's no other way for this to work." Tom Riddle replied with an uncharacteristic amount of patience. Nagini shook her head quickly,

"No, I won't let you." She said firmly, surprising Hermione once again. Who was Nagini, telling Tom Riddle, Voldemort, no? Tom's face seemed to reflect Hermione's reaction as well. Nagini, however, continued talking, "If you do that, Dumbledore's going to be on you in half a moment, maybe even faster. You know that he's watching you. If you k-" Suddenly, Tom put up a hand to stop her,

"No another word, here." He said quickly, looking around the Common Room, suddenly drawing his wand, "I thought I heard something." He slowly began to look around the room, pointing his wand as he went.

"Tom, just leave it. Come on, let's go to breakfast. We can discuss it later." Nagini said softly, and, much to Hermione's surprise, Tom turned to follow her,

"Yes, that would be best, I think." He said, pocketing his wand, but still looking around the room. Nagini moved forward and opened the door leading out of the Common Room, Tom following her. Hermione, relieved, got ready to move out of her hiding place.

As Nagini stepped out of the Common Room, was it Hermione's imagination, or did Nagini look straight over to her hiding spot? Before Hermione had time to contemplate, they were gone.

Hermione decided that it would be best to wait several minutes before going down to the Great Hall for breakfast. She quickly removed the disillusionment charm and settled back into the armchair, deep in thought. Clearly, something was about to happen, and she was out of the loop. There was no doubt in her mind now that Tom Riddle had some type of followers group, and Nagini was his right-hand follower, if not practically his equal. The way she talked to Tom Riddle was not the way that ANY of his followers dared speak to him in the future. Of course, Tom Riddle was still at student, but something told Hermione that Nagini must be special to be able to talk to Riddle in such a way. After thinking for a few minutes more, Hermione decided that it would be safe to go to breakfast. Just as she was about to walk out of the Common Room, she was hailed by none other than Alphard Black,

"Blishwick!" He said pleasantly as he ambled down the staircase, "Good morning!" Hermione forced herself to smile,

"Good morning, Black!" She replied in a friendly way.

"You're going down to breakfast, right?" He asked, and she nodded, "Good! I'll join you. I'm getting a bit hungry myself." He said, opening up the door leading out of the Common Room for her. Hermione stepped through the door, saying thank you to him. Despite his pleasant tone, something seemed to be off about him.

"How are you this morning?" She asked, hoping to break the slightly awkward silence that had settled in between them.

"Oh, fine, fine." Black replied dismissively, then smiled, "I heard from Nagini that you might be our new Chaser this year." Hermione laughed,

"Oh, she's lying! Positively lying, the twit!" She said with another chuckle, "I'm pretty awful at flying! I just learned on Saturday, actually." Black shrugged,

"Well, you never know. You might be an instant star!" He said with a wink, clearly teasing her. Hermione shoved him in the arm in a good-natured way. Despite what Nagini and Tom Riddle seemed to think of Black, Hermione liked him. Perhaps she shouldn't trust Tom Riddle's judgment of people anyway; it probably wasn't the best idea, "Nagini taught you how to fly, then?" He asked.

"Well, not exactly; she was there and helped me a little later, but Tom Riddle taught me first." Hermione replied carelessly, but immediately regretted it. Black's jaw tensed up,

"You went down to the Quidditch Pitch with Tom Riddle?" He asked, trying his best to sound light-hearted, "That must be quite an accomplishment." He slowed down his walking pace and looked over at her. Hermione tilted her head, confused,

"What's wrong with that? I knew Nagini, Malfoy, and the rest of the Quidditch players would be busy, so I asked Riddle to teach me because I knew that he knew how to fly, but wouldn't need to go through drills." She explained. It was a perfectly sound explanation, but Black's jaw grew even tenser. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm, pulling her to the side and into an empty classroom. He closed the door and pulled her deeper into the room.

"Hermione, look." His use of her first name not escaping her, "I don't know what you're playing at, but I don't think you know who you're playing with. Tom Riddle is _dangerous_, and you need to stay away from him." Black said, grasping her shoulders. Hermione stared right back at him,

"Dangerous? How so?" She asked slowly, wondering if she would finally get some answers at last. Black shook his head, his hands still on her shoulders,

"I can't prove anything." He said at last, "But I do know this: there is something not right about Tom Riddle. People get hurt when they're around him, even his so-called 'friends.' Tom Riddle doesn't seem to have any real friends; those who hand around him are absolutely terrified." Black said, the passion in his voice rising a little as he got to the end, "He's taken an interest in you." He continued softly, "He walks you to class, he sits by you at all times, I've seen him stroke your hair, touch your back, kiss your hand, he appears out of _nowhere_ to come to your rescue. . . Tom Riddle has never taken this kind of interest in a female before, or anyone for that matter, except Nagini, who you could say has something odd about her too. He wants something from you, Hermione. I just don't know what it is." He squeezed her shoulders, staring at her most intently. Hermione wasn't sure how to respond; all that Black said was true, but she couldn't make heads or tails of it either,

"I-I'm not sure either, to be completely honest." She admitted, and saw the disappointment in his face. Alphard stared her in the eye, pulling her closer,

"What are you trying to do by provoking his attention? You could easily say no to half of his offers and not have gone with him to the Quidditch pitch." His face was only inches from hers now, "Don't you dare lie to me, Hermione Blishwick. _What's going on?_" He asked, his voice soft and dangerous, putting deliberate emphasis on the last three words.

"I don't know." Hermione answered as deliberately as she could, his closeness making her nervous.

"I said, don't lie to me!" He snapped angrily, "I'll ask one more time: what's going on?"

"I told you; I don't know! I honestly don't know!" Hermione said almost pleadingly. When his iron grip didn't come off her shoulders, she tried to push him back, since she was unable to reach her wand, "Let me go, Black." She demanded furiously.

"No." Black replied, regaining some of his dangerously quiet calmness, "I'm not letting you go until you tell me exactly what's so important to you that you would put yourself in this kind of danger." Hermione tried once again to push him back, but now he grabbed her wrists and squeezed them almost painfully,

"Let me go!" Hermione demanded again, struggling against him, but he was so much bigger than her that her attempts were almost useless. His grip on her wrists tightened to a painful degree, "Stop it!" She gasped. Suddenly, the door flew open, and none other than the handsome Tom Riddle step through the door,

"That will do, Black." He snarled, his wand pointed right at Black, clearly ready to attack if the need arose. Black stared to Tom Riddle for a moment, looked down at Hermione's wrists that he held far too tightly, then into Hermione's eyes. He released her wrists, looking towards the empty side of the room for a long moment. Hermione stepped away from him as Tom Riddle walked towards Black, his wand still drawn and pointed towards his fellow student. Suddenly, Black looked right at Riddle,

"I won't let you do it." He said quietly. Tom Riddle held his wand steady,

"Threatening another student in an empty classroom, actually trying to hurt her; that's serious, Black. Very serious. Fifty house points deducted from Slytherin, and I will alert the Headmaster to your display of violence. Now get out!" Tom ordered, flicking his wand towards the door. Black stared back at him,

"I said, I won't let you do it!" He roared, "I won't let you do her the same way you did Myrtle!" A slightly red glint appeared in Tom Riddle's eye,

"That is a very serious accusation." He said, his rage barely suppressed, "That case is _closed_. The one responsible has been expelled, rightfully so, and the monster is gone. No thanks to you, I might add, but because _I_ solved the mystery. _I_ made sure that it would never happen again." Tom spat arrogantly, "This conversation is over."

"I know you did it! I know you did." Black shouted, waking towards the Head Boy, drawing his wand.

"Why don't you prove it?" Tom Riddle said, keeping his wand trained on Black. When Black simply stared back, jaw clenched, Tom Riddle smirked, "I thought as much. Now get out."

Black turned, casting one final look at Hermione, before storming out of the room, slamming the door so hard that a few flecks of dust fell from the ceiling. Tom Riddle continued looking at the door for a few moments before pocketing his wand and turning back to Hermione,

"Let me see your wrists." He said, walking towards her. Wordlessly, Hermione showed him the deep red marks that still remained. Tom look her right wrist, examining it closely for a moment, "I don't think it will bruise, although it might very lightly." He asserted, letting go of her wrist and looking into her eyes, "What was all of that about, Miss Blishwick?" He asked seriously. Hermione shook her head a little,

"It's nothing. . . he was angry that I wouldn't go to Hogsmeade with him, that's all." She lied. Tom Riddle again looked into her eyes,

"Do you expect me to believe that, Miss Blishwick? That Alphard Black, who never takes anything seriously in his life, actually almost caused you hard over a Hogsmeade trip?" He asked, "No, you're lying. It's okay; I know his actions were not your fault. Tell me." He prodded. Finally, Hermione sighed,

"I hardly know know happened myself. We were walking to breakfast when he started to question me about flying at the Quidditch Pitch on Saturday. When I told him that I went with you, he got angry and dragged me in here, where he started talking about his dislike for you. By the end, he had gotten very angry when I my answers to his questions weren't the answers he wanted to hear." She explained, leaving out the details, but still telling the basic truth, "I think he harbors an intense dislike for you, Mr. Riddle. That, or intense jealously." Tom Riddle continued to look at her most intently, but seemed to accept this explanation,

"Yes, Alphard Black has never been particularly fond of me." He conceded, "He must have been very angry indeed, though, since his actions were so uncharacteristic." He paused, picking up her bag from the ground, "Come; I'll walk you to breakfast. And don't be surprised if the Headmaster calls you to his office to ask a few questions; he takes student violence very seriously." He began to walk to the door, Hermione following him.

"I'll keep that in mind." Hermione replied, walking alongside Tom Riddle as they mounted the last staircase coming up from the dungeons, "Mr. Riddle?" She asked suddenly. He looked over to her,

"Yes, Miss Blishwick?"

"I am grateful for your rescue, but I must ask; how did you know where I was?" She questioned, brows knitted. Tom Riddle raised his eyebrows,

"I didn't. I was simply on my way back to the Common Room and I heard voices coming from an empty classroom. I listened for a moment, and when I heard your distress, I came inside." Hermione nodded; it seemed plausible, even if she didn't completely buy it.

As they entered the Great Hall and made their way over to the usual group of Slytherins, Hermione noticed that Tom visibly tensed for a moment. Looking around, Hermione tried to discover the source of his tension, but did not see anything that looked too out of the ordinary. Then, Hermione saw it: Alphard Black was talking with Professor Dumbledore. Tom Riddle quickly steered her towards the Slytherin table. Nagini smiled at them as they approached, but the smile quickly faded at Tom's expression,

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately, sliding over to make room for Hermione and Tom on the bench.

"I found Miss Blishwick here cornered in a room with Alphard Black, who was about to practically twist her wrists off." Tom Riddle snapped, grabbing Hermione's wrist and showing Nagini the fading red marks. Nagini immediately became angry

"That bastard! Merlin help me, I WILL hex the shit out of him now!" She said loudly, starting to get up. Lestrange quickly caught her arm,

"As much as I agree with you, Nagini, that's probably not the best idea." He said, pulling her back down to the bench.

"What did he want?" Malfoy asked icily, looking over to Hermione with a face that almost looked concerned. Hermione sighed,

"To be honest, I'm not exactly sure. He was just angry about the fact that I tend to hang out around all of you." She said, noting the way that Tom was looking at her. By the looks of it, he didn't want her to tell them everything, though she was not exactly sure why.

"It has to be something more than that. Black doesn't get angry that easily." Lestrange commented thoughtfully. Nagini, too, was looking at Tom. After a moment, she shrugged,

"I guess we'll all just have to be extra careful." She looked around with a significant look, "Until we get to the bottom of this, at least." Suddenly, a lot of students began to file out of the Great Hall.

"Well, I guess it's time for Potions." Abraxus Malfoy said, standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. Hermione quickly took another quick bite of toast before standing up and doing the same.

"Walk with me, Hermione." Nagini insisted with a smile that did not quite match her eyes. She looped her arm through Hermione's and they began to walk out of the Hall. As soon as they were a decent distance away from Tom and the rest, Nagini looked over to Hermione, "So, what _really_ happened?" She asked softly. Hermione shook her head,

"Black was walking with me to breakfast when he started questioning me about my weekend at the Quidditch Pitch. When I told him that I went with Riddle, he started acting weird. He pulled me into a classroom, and at first, he seemed concerned about my spending time with Riddle, and about our behavior. When I tried to assure him that it was nothing, he demanded to know what was going on. When I told him I didn't know, he became angry. It was shortly after that Riddle came in and then they got into a spat." Hermione paused, "Black accused Riddle of doing something to a girl named Myrtle." Nagini stopped in her tracks,

"He WHAT?" She asked, her face unreadable.

"I didn't really understand. . ." Hermione lied, "He said 'I won't let you do you the same way you did Myrtle' and then he kept on saying 'I know you did it.'" She paused, "What does he mean?" Nagini sighed,

"Myrtle was a Ravenclaw that was killed last year when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. The Chamber of Secrets was built by Slytherin as a way to purge the school of mudbloods. Myrtle was a mudblood, and so the monster from the chamber attacked her. Luckily, Tom caught the culprit, and the boy was expelled." Nagini explained, "I guess Black wants to blame Tom because he hates Tom so much. I don't understand though; that's a serious accusation that can have serious consequences." She paused again, "Besides, I don't understand Black's comment; even if Tom did have something to do with Myrtle, why would he do the same to you? He likes you, I'm sure of it." Hermione looked over at Nagini,

"I was hoping that you could tell me. You know Tom Riddle and Alphard Black better than I do." She commented.

"I do, but I don't know what's going on. It doesn't sound good; it sounds like Black has a thing for you to me. I think he's jealous. At any rate, I would stay away from him as much as you possibly can. Resorting to anger and violence instead of mockery is very unlike Black; I think something else might be going on with him that we don't know about." Nagini said slowly, looking intently at Hermione. Somehow, Hermione felt that Nagini was telling more than she meant to.

"Something else going on? Like what?" She asked, truly curious. Nagini shook her head,

"I can't say, but I don't think its good." With that comment, the pair arrived in the Potions classroom.

"Ah, Miss Blishwick, Nagini! Good morning!" Slughorn greeted them with a smile, "Just the two girls I wanted to see, actually. You see, I have a little group I like to call the Slug Club that meets for some dinner parties every so often, and I wanted to know if you two girls would like to attend next Wednesday night." Hermione looked over to Nagini, who smiled and answered,

"It would be an honor, professor! We'll be delighted to attend." She said, glancing over at Hermione.

"Wonderful, wonderful! It will be semi-formal dress. Now, off to your tables now!" He said, clapping with a jolly smile. Hermione marveled at the fact that the professor never did change.

As Hermione and Nagini sat down at their table, Malfoy and Riddle joined the table, Tom still looking slightly angry. He quickly wiped the expression off of his face as he accepted his invitation to Slughorn's Slug Club party and replaced it with a pleasant smile.

"Alright, class! Today, we will be brewing the Draught of the Living Dead, and extremely difficult potion, to be sure. Let's see, let's do it in pairs. Yes, Malfoy and Nagini, Riddle and Blishwick. . ." He went around the room, pairing everyone up quickly, "Oh, Septimus Weasley, our odd number! Why don't you work with Blishwick and Riddle? I dare say their expertise could do you well. Instructions are on the board and in your book, Chapter 4. Off you go, then!" Hermione watched with some amusement as Tom's lip curled as Septimus Weasley blundered up to the table,

"Hi." He said glumly, setting his cauldron down on the table. Tom Riddle ignored him, getting out his book. Hermione smiled a little at him,

"Hello." She replied.

"We'll use my cauldron." Tom announced, moving Hermione's and Septimus's cauldron off the table. Soon, the three began gathering and preparing the ingredients, with Tom and Hermione doing the majority of the work and Septimus looking lost,

"I knew I shouldn't have let my mum talk me into taking NEWT Potions. . ." He muttered. Soon, Tom Riddle had several sophorus beans on the table,

"This step is particularly tricky. It is quite difficult to cut the beans." He said, looking over to Hermione. Hermione, thinking in an amused way of her sixth year potions with Harry, smiled,

"Just take the broad side of the knife and crush them."

"B-but the instructions said to cut." The Weasley supplied,

"Shut up." Tom Riddle snapped at him. He turned his attention to Hermione, "Really?" He asked, interested.

"Yes, you get a lot more juice that way. See?" Hermione neatly crushed the bean, dropping the juice into the cauldron, "It's also a lot less messy." She commented as everyone else's beans flew all about the room. Tom nodded, intrigued,

"So curious, how such a small instruction can make so much of a difference." He commented. They continued brewing the potion, "Alright, now for the stirring."

"I'll do it." Hermione said, taking the spoon from Tom Riddle, ready to show off once more. She began to stir the potion seven times counter-clockwise, and then threw in one clockwise stir.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked, not seeming angry, just interested.

"Stirring it a better way." Hermione smartly replied, excited to have a leg up academically over Tom Riddle. Soon, the potion was complete. Slughorn came around to inspect it, he smiled, clapping his hands,

"Merlin's beard! It's perfect!" He declared, mimicking what he said to Harry that so infuriated Hermione their sixth year, "Well done, you three! Thirty points to Slytherin!" Septimus didn't even argue with the fact that his house was left out. To be truthful, Hermione felt a bit sorry for him,

"You know, you'll get better." She said with an encouraging smile. Septimus looked up at her, as if surprised that she was even talking to him,

"Not likely. I'm frightfully awful at Potions." He remarked with a shrug, "I'll clean up, since I didn't do anything else." He pulled out his wand, "_Scourgify_!" He said, and the charm worked surprisingly well. Tom sneered,

"Well, at least something worked right with you." He commented coldly, establishing his dislike for the Weasley's. Hermione supposed that they were still considered blood traitors even in this time. Feeling a soft spot for him, Hermione smiled at the Weasley boy,

"Just let me know if you need any help with Potions, okay?" She said. Septimus, looking surprised, nodded,

"Okay. Thanks." He slowly ambled off to the other side of the room once more. Nagini watched him go,

"I thought you had a thing for redheads!"

"Nagini!" Hermione said with a laugh. Nagini's smile quickly faded,

"Hermione. . . I've been thinking, and Black is really starting to scare me. Please, promise me you'll be careful around him."

"I promise." Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder; a pale, cold hand. Tom Riddle's hand.

"She doesn't have to worry."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:** Moved to the end of the chapter!

**Chapter 12**

The next few days passed by relatively uneventfully. Hermione's classes progressed as usual, with no Dementors or other strange occurrences, and no more run-ins with Alphard Black. In fact, the days were so uneventful that Hermione feared that Tom Riddle had dealt with Black in private, and off the record. Not that there was much time in which that could be accomplished: Tom Riddle stayed by her side constantly. It seemed that he had meant what he said, and the thought was frightening.

Hermione sat at breakfast as usual Wednesday morning, talking and laughing with Nagini when suddenly, an owl landed in front of Hermione during the delivery of the morning post. Hermione, confused, reached for the envelope.

"What does it say?" Nagini asked, equally as curious, since Hermione did not normally receive any post. Hermione ripped open the envelope, reading it quickly and then handing Nagini the short note,

"Oh, it's nothing really. Just the Headmaster asking me to come and see him." She replied. Nagini looked perplexed for a moment,

"But it's signed Professor Dumbledore on here. . ." Hermione was ready to kick herself for her slip-up. She looked over at the note, then shook her head, chuckling a little.

"How silly of me! I read it as Dippet. Well, it's from Professor Dumbledore then." As she looked up, she noticed that Tom Riddle was studying her very closely. He spoke, his voice sounding slightly sarcastic,

"A silly mistake indeed, since Dumbledore contains far more letters than Dippet." He commented, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh, come now Riddle, be fair. It is far too early to be reading things from the old coot. It probably doesn't even make sense." Lestrange said graciously, coming to her rescue. Hermione remembered his invitation to Hogsmeade, and the mystery of why he was so gracious was instantly solved. She put on a fake smile.

"Thank you kindly, Lestrange, but I fear that I simply cannot carry throughout my day to day activities with the same amount of refinement Mr. Riddle shows due to my significant lack of his superior intellect." She said with fake, sugary sweetness. Beside her, Avery snickered a little and Nagini outright laughed. Tom Riddle smiled slightly too, but it looked more like a smirk. Nagini, ignoring his obvious displeasure, continued to laugh,

"Hermione, you're a gem!" She announced. Hermione smiled,

"Why, thank you, Nagini!" She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "Well, I suppose I should go and see what professor Dumbledore wants. I'll see all of you later!" She bade them goodbye, hearing a chorus of goodbyes echoed before turning and exiting the Great Hall. She didn't get far, however, before she was intercepted by none other than Florence Greengrass and Lucille Parkinson,

"Hello, Hermione!" Florence said sweetly. Hermione, offering a tiny, fake smile, returned the greeting,

"Hello, Florence, Lucille. Lovely to see you both today, but I'm afraid that I really must be going." She said hurriedly.

"So soon!" Lucille replied, as if she was deeply saddened by the announcement, "I do regret it! I trust you're going to Slughorn's party tonight, right?" Mentally, Hermione hit her face on the wall; she had completely forgotten about Slughorn's party, and she didn't have a thing to wear to it, nor a good excuse to skip it. Pretending like she had not just remembered, Hermione nodded,

"Oh yes, I am! Perhaps I will see you there?" She answered, trying her best not to sound annoyed by the fact.

"Yes, perhaps." Florence replied, her smile as unreadable as ever, "Well, we'll let you go for now. Goodbye, Hermione!" She said, her and Lucille flouncing off. As soon as they were safely out of sight, Hermione continued her walk to the Transfiguration classroom, running through the odd conversation in her head once again. Why had they even acted like they liked her? Hermione knew that they despised her, but she quickly pushed the thoughts out of her head. She had more important things to focus on than their silly little schoolgirl games, such as the upcoming conversation with Dumbledore. Upon arriving at the door to the Transfiguration professor's office, Hermione took a deep breath, then knocked three times.

"Come in!" Came the answer from inside. Hermione slowly opened the door and stepped into the office, confronted immediately by a beaming Dumbledore, "Ah, Miss Blishwick! So good of you to come on such short notice. Please, take a seat." Hermione did as she was told, her throat feeling suddenly sticky, "Lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked, holding one out to her. Hermione quickly shook her head, "Just as well," Dumbledore said, popping one into his mouth, "They are far too addictive."

"Yes, I suppose they are." Hermione forced herself to say, nodding a little. In truth, even that tiny sentence was difficult to manage. Dumbledore walked around the desk and sat down opposite of her,

"Well, I suppose you must be wondering why I brought you here today." He mused, "I wish I could say that I discovered the location of your parents but, alas, I came across something far more troubling." Hermione leaned forward in her seat a little, her heart pounding,

"You did?" She asked quietly. Dumbledore nodded,

"I did." He paused for a moment, "You might know, Miss Blishwick, that I deeply enjoy research. It is one of my great passions in life, and, if I might be so bold, I would say that I'm fairly good at it. Even so, after several weeks of paging through countless documents, I can find no record of anyone botanists by the name of Blishwick, nor can I find anyone in Australia, deceased or alive, by your aunt's name, Bertha Blishwick." Dumbledore looked at her intently, the twinkle gone from his eyes, "In fact, I cannot find anyone by the name of Hermione Blishwick. By all records, you do not even exist." Hermione gulped,

"Sir, I. . . I'm sure there's an explanation." She said weakly.

"Oh, I'm sure there is. That's why, I have to ask you, what is it?" Dumbledore asked very seriously. Hermione swallowed hard: she had never been a gifted liar,

"Well, my parents were. . . unconventional. Not like typical wizards." _Well, that's true, they're muggles, _"And they've always been naturally suspicious since before I was born, which is why they never sent me to school. So maybe they just don't have any records because they gave. . . fake names?" She mused, trying to look as though she was thinking hard, and not telling a boldfaced lie. When she looked up at Dumbledore, she never felt more rotten in her entire life. He didn't look disbelieving, or angry. He just looked. . . sad.

"Miss Blishwick, if what you say is true, then I should still be able to find records of your birth, otherwise, you and your parents would have been forced to make papers long ago, even if you lived in a muggle area. It is against the law to not have a legitimate birth certificate and be living in the country, as I am sure that you are aware." He paused, as if waiting for a response. Hermione remained silent, honestly having nothing to say. No more lies. No more twists. She had nothing but the truth, and that was impossible. Finally, Dumbledore spoke again, interrupting her thoughts, "So, Miss Blishwick, should I continue searching for your birth certificate?"

"I have a birth certificate, professor." Hermione began slowly, "It's just. . . it doesn't say Hermione Blishwick on it." Her head was spinning: she couldn't believe that she was saying this. Couldn't this destroy the timeline or something? _Well, it's wasn't like that's what I was trying to do or anything. . . _Hermione scorned herself sarcastically.

"What does it say?" Dumbledore asked quietly, his tone still not angry, but his eyes focused intently on her. To Hermione, nothing could be any worse than that,

"It says Hermione Granger." She paused, "My parents are muggles."

"Muggles?" Dumbledore asked, sounding surprised. Surprised, interested, but not in a bad way at all.

"Yes, muggles." She confirmed, not offering any more information freely.

"And how did you learn magic?" Dumbledore continued to prod.

"I went to Hogwarts." She said, completely truthful. When Dumbledore just looked at her, she sighed, "I went to Hogwarts in a different time. A future time. I had graduated, and I was working at the Ministry of Magic on an experiment in time travel." She paused, swallowing. Truth, yes, truth was a good thing, "The Ministry was. . . is. . . will be, oh, I don't know. Anyway, I was investigating long term time travel, with a giant time turner. One day, I was supposed to be testing the glass of the hourglass for cracks- you can imagine, an error like a crack in the glass can yield disastrous results- and since the hourglass was so big, the probability of finding one was considerably larger. Anyway, I was standing next to the glass, carefully testing it with a charm when my very _stupid_ coworker knocked my elbow, and I hit the hourglass in exactly the wrong spot." Hermione was careful to put passion in her voice, to sound annoyed, "It turned. It turned a lot, and I was standing inside of the rope. I was knocked out, and I awoke to find myself in the Hospital Wing of a much older Hogwarts." Hermione swallowed, "And that's how I got here." Well, it was a half truth, which was better than what she had been telling of late. Dumbldore seemed to be mulling over her words in his head. After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, he spoke again,

"And why not just tell this story to Headmaster Dippet upon your arrival?" Hermione knew the underlying implication behind his words: _Why did you lie?_

"I am afraid of what will happen if I meddle in time." She said in a small voice. A truth, once again, "I did not want anyone to know that I am from the future. If they ask me questions, or somehow get into my head and see their future, I don't want to even think of what might happen." In particular, she had the face of the handsome Head Boy in her mind.

"I see." Dumbledore replied, not agreeing, but not challenging her either, "And you took on a fake name because of the current climate concerning muggle born witches."

"Yes." Hermione confirmed quietly.

"It is an extraordinary story." Dumbledore mused, still appearing to be deep in thought, "One that I am not entirely sure I can believe. You understand, Miss, Granger, isn't it? It will be hard to trust what you say."

"I understand, sir." Hermione replied, relieved to finally be called by her real name. It felt good, "But professor. . ." She hesitated, "We meet in the future, and you are the most admirable and greatest wizard that I have ever met. You always used to say that 'Humans have a knack for choosing precisely the things that are worst for them,' and I agree. The worst job for me was to go into the Ministry as Unspeakable and work on such dangerous experiments, and after-" She cut off, "You understand, I cannot tell you too much. I also picked the thing that was the worst for me by lying to you, and professor, I'm so sorry." Hermione meant every word she said: to say that she felt terrible would be the understatement of the century.

"I do say that, don't I?" Dumbledore mused, "Although, you would not know that if you did not know me quite well." He paused, "We meet in the future, you say? Excellent. I do not doubt that you are a great witch, Hermione Granger." Hermione felt her cheeks grow slightly warm with his compliment and kindness,

"T-thank you, sir." What else could she say?

"I will not question you further, Miss Granger, though I assume I should continue to call you Miss Blishwick to avoid arousing suspicion. Instead of researching Australia for people that do not exist, you will forgive me in saying that I am eager to turn my research into a fruitful endeavor. I think it best that we try and discover a way to send you back to your own time." Happiness filled Hermione's heart: she could go home! After, of course, her mission was complete. As brilliant as Dumbledore was, Hermione knew that it would still take him quite some time to come up with a solution at all.

"Thank you, so, so much!" She exclaimed.

"No need to thank me yet, Miss Granger-Blishwick." Dumbledore looked at her, the familiar twinkle back in his eye, "You must be wondering, however, why I have decided to help you, despite your lies. I will tell you, I consider myself, if I may be so bold, to be quite a good judge of character. I have faith in you, that you are not evil. I do not believe that any person in inherently evil. If we but show them a bit of kindness, it will do more than any degree of punishment or hate." Was there a double meaning to his words? Hermione could not help but think that there was.

"I will try to remember, professor. Thank you." She answered sincerely. He smiled a little,

"Now, I do not wish to make you late for Muggle Studies. Off you go!"

* ' * ' *

"Good morning, good morning!" Professor Hotchkiss announced as she flounced into the room in her usual set of brightly colored blue robes. She self-consciously poofed her already curly brunette hair before dropping her book on the podium, "Now, as you know, we are going to continue our study of muggle perception of the wizarding world, but today, we will be looking at witches and wizards in pop culture in the muggle world."

Hermione had to suppress a groan; she had taken Muggle Studies to gain a different perspective on the muggle world, and instead, all she got was a nervous, fumbling teacher and no new information. She flipped open her book to the appropriate chapter, looking at the cheesy movie poster for some old movie that she had never heard of. As she opened her book, she looked sideways at Alphard Black, but he was pretending to be intently reading the book, not paying a bit of attention to her. She had to admit that she missed his teasing personality.

"We're going to be examining a relatively new muggle invention called a movie projector." She announced, waving her wand, "_Accio projector!" _An old movie projector came zooming in from her office, nearly hitting Tom Riddle in the back of the head as it flew to the front of the room, "Oh, terribly sorry, Mr. Riddle. I did not expect it to be flying in that low." Hotchkiss twittered. Hermione looked back to see his face an impassive mask,

"It is perfectly alright, Professor." He answered blandly. Hermione noticed a slight smirk on Black's lips.

"So, during the present time, of course, most films have to do with the Muggle War that is going on called World War II." Hermione rolled her eyes, _How stupid does she think we are?_ "Before this decade, though, some films had to do with magical creatures, such as vampires, and witches and wizards. One of the most famous films dealing directly, and exclusively, with witchcraft and wizardry was released in America just a few years ago in 1939." As if on cue, the projector started rolling, and a very familiar theme began to play. Hermione stared in shock as the words "The Wizard of Oz" flashed across the screen, "Now, we'll just be watching a short montage of movie clips that I put together, and then we shall discuss them, so pay attention closely." Hermione leaned her chin onto her elbow as the clips of the old movie began to play, accompanied by the singing and dancing. Beside her, Black tapped his fingers on the table, looking utterly bored. Hermione would have given anything to take a look at Tom Riddle as the munchkins sang in their unusually high-pitched voices. Finally, the clips ended.

"Well, I hope that you all enjoyed that." Professor Hotchkiss said, walking back up to the front of the room, "As you can see, there are several witches- the good witch and bad witch- a supposed wizard, and several magical creatures in the film." She paused nervously, seeing the bored look on her student's faces, "Let's call on someone to share their thoughts. How about. . . Mr. Malfoy?"

Hermione turned to look back at Abraxas, who was currently struggling for words,

"Well," He began arrogantly, "There are numerous numbers of some kind of _half-breed_ wandering about, singing in obnoxiously high-pitched voices throughout a good portion of the film that you just showed us." He said primly, "I suppose that shows a resentment in the muggle community for things that are half. Things that _don't belong_." At first, Hermione had an urge to laugh as he described the munchkins. Then, the amount of disrespect and irritation in her voice made her slightly angry. Her hand shot up in the air.

"Miss Blishwick?" Hotchkiss called on her, sounding relieved.

"To begin with, _The Wizard of Oz_ is a timeless story, one that stretched across the boundaries of the muggle and wizarding world." She stated, keeping her eyes on her professor, ignoring Black's curious stare, "It is a story of a girl named Dorothy trying to get back to her home, so it is an archetypal story of a human's search for identity, for purpose. She meets friends which each add something of value to her as a person: a brain, a heart, and courage. As for the magical influence in the story, it _clearly_ represents a muggle's desire to believe that there are things in this world that cannot be explained. It gives us a foundation for hope." Hermione explained. When she looked back at the class, Malfoy looked confused, Florence and Lucille were looking at Tom, and Tom was looking thoughtful.

"An interesting contribution, Miss Blishwick. Now, I expect a few inches of parchment next week on the ties between the wizardry and witchcraft found in this movie and that of real life. Class dismissed!" Hotchkiss announced, looking relieved as she quickly dashed back to her office. Hermione stood up, shaking her head slightly.

"Miss Blishwick?" Said a smooth voice.

"Yes?" Hermione answered, turning to see that Abraxas Malfoy was standing behind her, politely waiting on her to acknowledge him.

"Are you headed to lunch?" He asked.

"Yes, I am." She answered impassively, still wondering what he was getting at.

"Walk with me?" He offered, gesturing towards the door.

"Sure!" Hermione replied, slinging her bag over her shoulder. She looked back to see that Tom Riddle was currently trapped in a conversation with Lucille Parkinson, and Hermione could not help think that her irritating voice was hardly enough punishment for the future Dark Lord. She turned back to Abraxas Malfoy and left Tom Riddle to his well-deserved torture.

"So, have you actually. . . _seen_ that incredibly strange moving picture we just watched?" Malfoy questioned, looking perplexed.

"Yes, I have. My parents considered a muggle education to be very important in addition to a wizarding one." Hermione replied, slightly annoyed with his narrow-minded attitudinize. Then again, this was a Malfoy she was talking to, "Besides, it's a classic."

"It's only a few years old." He pointed out. Hermione could have kicked herself for her mistake, "But, not matter. I suppose in the muggle world, it could be possible for fads to pass so quickly. _They_ are, after all, not respectful of tradition nor heritage." Hermione suppressed an irritated sigh; it would not bode well for one of Tom's cronies to become suspicious of her. Mercifully, they reached the Great Hall. As usual, Hermione sat down next to Nagini and Avery, and across from Wilkes.

"Where's Tom?" Nagini asked curiously. Hermione could help but smile evilly,

"He'll be along shortly." Nagini shrugged, going back to her food. Suddenly, some giggling was heard, and Tom Riddle entered the Great Hall with Lucille Parkinson glued to his side. Nagini caught Hermione's eye, mirth dancing in hers.

"Tom, dear!" She exclaimed as he neared the table, "Where the hell have you been?" She asked with a laugh. Lucille, looking mortified, looked over to Tom,

"I'll see you later, Tom." She said, batting her eyelashes like an idiot. Tom offered her nothing but a small, polite smile,

"Good-bye, Miss Parkinson." He said, sitting down between Nagini and Hermione. As soon as Lucille was out of sight, he narrowed his eyes a little, "You better never leave me with her again. She's so annoying I can barely stand it." The teasing words sounded strange coming out of Tom Riddle's mouth: no clever wit, just actual feeling. Or, at least, the slightest bit of emotion.

"Oh, did I leave you?" Hermione asked, sounding surprised, "My most sincere apologies." She said mockingly. Tom just looked at her for a long moment, then scooped some food onto his plate and began to eat.

"So, Hermione. . . are you going to Sluggy's party tonight?" Nagini asked her, placing her hand on the back of Tom's head and pushing it down ever so slightly so that she could see Hermione. Tom shook her hand off in annoyance, but kept his head down slightly nevertheless. Nagini grinned at him, "Thank you Tom, you're a doll."

"Yes, I am going." Hermione responded, wondering how on earth Tom was acting so. . . normal.

"Well, we have to find you something to wear then." Nagini replied resolutely, standing up and grabbing her bag.

"Now?" Hermione asked, puzzled. Nagini rolled her eyes a little,

"Oh, my dear Hermione. No, not _now_, we have class! Transfiguration, to be exact." She said with mock exasperation, "And I thought you to be more intelligent than Tommy here." She said teasingly, patting his head. He scowled and she laughed, sauntering away. Then, Tom stood up as well, muttering something about "girls" as he walked away. Lestrange watched him go,

"Care to explain to me what just happened that you and Nagini managed to tag team and fluster Tom Riddle?" He asked, chuckling a little. Hermione shrugged,

"I have no idea, to be honest." She said truthfully.

"Well, at any rate. . ." Lestrange said, sliding down the bench to sit next to Hermione, "Have you thought any more about that Hogsmeade offer?" He said with a sly smile. Hermione rolled her eyes, standing up,

"I think I'll go and read a book." She announced, walking off, leaving a very perplexed Lestrange staring after her, "Boys." She muttered with a huff.

* ' * ' *

"What do you think, Hermione?" Nagini asked, emerging from behind the curtains of her bed. She had on a black dress, simple, to the knees, with a touch of lace trimming, and, of course, dangerously low-cut in the front. Nagini's almost-black curls were left cascading down her back, and a touch of red lipstick accentuated her lips.

"You look wonderful, Nagini!" Hermione said with a smile, and it was true: her friend was beautiful. Hermione noted her thoughts of Nagini as a friend with mixed emotions.

"What are you wearing? You're not even dressed!" Nagini then said, looking at Hermione's robes.

"Well, I don't exactly have any dresses here, you see." Hermine replied slowly. Nagini smacked her forehead,

"Stupid me! I had promised to let you borrow a dress during lunch, remember?" She waved her wand and opened her trunk, sending several dresses flying through the air and landing on Hermione's bed, "Pick out whatever you want. It's a semi-formal get-together, that's all. Nothing fancy." Upon looking at Nagini again, Hermione could tell that the definition of semi-formal had definitely changed by her time. Hermione began to sort through the dresses, looking for something a bit more modestly cut than the current dress that Nagini was wearing. Of course, there seemed to be no such thing.

"Hermione, just let me pick one out." Nagini finally said with a laughed, stepping over to look through the dresses. Eventually, she grabbed a red one, tossing it to Hermione, "I can honestly say that I've never been a fan of red, since it's the color of that blasted Gryffindor House, but I haven't ever worn the dress, so it won't be clear that it's a _borrowed _dress."

"Is borrowing a dress a big deal?" Hermione asked, confused by Nagini's sudden shallowness. Nagini shook her head,

"I'll pretend you didn't just ask that. Well, go put it on." She instructed bossily.

Hermione, used to being the bossy one, just took the dress in mute silence, and did as she was told. After about thirty minutes of preparation, Nagini pulled Hermione out of the dormitory and down the stairs to the common room.

"How many people are going to be at this party, exactly?" Hermione questioned, nervously pulling up the top of her dress to cover some of her exposed cleavage.

"Oh, I don't know; twenty, maybe?" Nagini laughed, swatting Hermione's hand away from the neckline, "Stop it! You're not even showing that much, really. Just enough to be interesting." She assured her more modest friend. They exited the common room and walked the ascension to the rest of the dungeons, their heels clicking on the floor in a foreign manner.

"If you say so." Hermione huffed, straightening the hem of the red cocktail dress instead. Truthfully, she was very happy with the dress, even if it was a little too low cut in the front for her liking. Like Nagini's dress, it came past her knees about an inch or so and flared out slightly. It had short sleeved with a sweetheart neckline, and Hermione completed it with some dainty pearls (transfigured by Nagini) and some silver heels.

"I do say so. Just watch; we're going to smash this party." Nagini assured her, a confident bounce in her step.

"Ah, Miss Blishwick, Miss Kosmachevskaia! How nice of you to come to my little get-together." Slughorn greeted them with a smile, gesturing to the open door to his classroom, "Please, come in, and sit anywhere!"

"Thank you, professor." Nagini answered for them with a charming smile before entering the classroom. Several other students were scattered throughout the room, including the Slytherins that Hermione knew: Malfoy, Lestrange, Florence, Lucille, and Black.

"Blishwick, Nagini!" Lestrange greeted them with a smile, walking up to them with his arms outstretched, "You two are a vision!" He complimented, grabbing Hermione's hand in one of his own and Nagini's in the other before leading them over to the group. Normally, Hermione would object to such treatment, but she decided to follow Nagini's lead, who was far more experienced in party conduct than she was. Nagini smiled again, her unusually white teeth contrasting nicely against her red lipstick as she allowed Lestrange to pull them over to the other Slytherins, "And now, I introduce to you the two most intelligent, beautiful women in the room." He announced, then looked quickly at Florence and Lucille, "Besides these two pretty ladies, of course." He added quickly, soothing their scowls the slightest bit.

"Clayton Lestrange, you're too much." Nagini purred, smiling at the group and enjoying the displeased expressions on the other two girls' faces.

"Miss Blishwick, you look so good in red, I would almost be tempted to call you a Gryffindor. But, alas, we like you too much for that." Alphard Black suddenly said, the typical wolfish grin on his face. Hermione looked over to him in mild surprise. Was he. . . talking to her again?

"Well, I'm glad that you don't call me a Gryffindor then." She replied gracefully, though the thought of being called a Gryffindor warmed her heart the slightest bit. Among her words too, there was something else: an unspoken apology accepted.

"Wonderful!" He responded genuinely, "Sit by me, then? I believe we're about to be seated." Hermione quickly looked around, noting that the room had filled up with various members of other houses, most of which she knew by sight and not by name.

"Why, where's Tom?" Nagini suddenly asked, glancing around.

"Right here, Nagini. Awaiting your beck and call." Tom Riddle said sarcastically, offering her a mock bow with a smirk on his lips. When he straightened back up, Hermione tried her best not to look surprised. She really did try, but the sight of him in handsome, solid black dress robes was too much. The black contrasted sharply with his pale skin in an attractive way, his dark hair was neatly and meticulously in place, and the way the black robes brought out his dark eyes. _Some things just aren't fair. _Hermione pouted mentally, "And I suppose you look slightly better than usual, Nagini. The dress is becoming on you." He complimented blandly, sarcasm laced into his words. Rather than becoming offended, Nagini just, as usual, laughed,

"Tom Riddle, whatever am I going to do with you?" She mused, then turned around, "Abraxas! You goof, you haven't said a word to me yet!" She pouted, looping her arm through a very irritated-looking Malfoy. Hermione couldn't help but snicker a little, supposing that Nagini enjoyed getting on Malfoy's nerves. In truth, Hermione also had a sneaking suspicion that Abraxas enjoyed it. Her snicker caused Tom to turn to the side, his eyes straying from hers for just a half a moment too long,

"Miss Blishwick. It's nice to see you here." Was all he said, with a devilish smile. Beside her, Hermione could practically feel Black tensing up,

"It is nice to see you as well, Riddle." Hermione replied diplomatically, then sat down, Black sitting down next to her. Tom smirked, then sat down on the other side of her. If there was tension before, the air was heavy with it now.

"Alright everyone, take a seat, if you please." Slughorn said, bounding into the room with a smile. Hermione had never been more thankful for his interruptions before in her life, "Welcome to our first little gathering of the Slug Club! I thank you all for being here today. Well, shall we begin?"

* ' * ' *

To say dinner was boring would be an understatement. _A grand understatement. _Hermione thought, wincing. The Slug Club was excruciatingly boring, even more so than in her times, and she could not help but thinking that all of the preparation and stress over what to wear was all for naught. Even Nagini was yawning as they exited the potions classroom,

"What a drag!" Nagini declared as soon as they were safely out of earshot, "If it weren't for the Christmas party, which is always lovely, I wouldn't even bother to come."

"It was a little boring." Hermione agreed. Suddenly, her pearls slipped off from around her neck and hit the floor, scattering everywhere. She groaned, "Just my luck."

"Did you drop something, Blishwick?" Came the voice of Lestrange. Hermione and Nagini turned to see Lestrange, Black, Malfoy, and Tom Riddle walking down the hallway towards them, "That's what you get, hurrying out so fast!" He teased.

"Just some pearls." Hermione answered, looking around on the ground. They really were everywhere, "_Accio pearls_!" She said with a graceful flick of her wand.

That was a mistake.

Pearls, more than she had imagined were on the necklace, came hurtling at her from all angles, smacking into each other and flying past her in a most disorderly manner. Nagini doubled over with laughter, same for the boys. Even Tom Riddle let out a chuckle at her expense. Hermione huffed, embarrassed and annoyed.

"Come on you all, I have some butterbeer back in the common room!" Alphard Black offered, still chuckling.

"You're a mate!" Lestrange said, clapping him on the back.

"We have to get these pearls picked up first." Malfoy said, bending down and picking up a pearl that lay close to his foot. Hermione looked up from picking up a handful of pearls, surprised that he was actually being helpful.

"Don't worry about it." Tom said smoothly, bending down next to Hermione, "I'll help her. You all go on." Although his words sounded kind, there was something else in them as well. An order. Malfoy, Lestrange, and Black hesitated a moment. Nagini jumped in to Tom's rescue,

"Alright. We'll see you two later." She said, looping her arms through Lestrange and Malfoy's arms and pulling them along, "Catch you in a bit!" She called behind her, looking at Black. Black looked between Tom and Hermione for several long moments, then reluctantly turned on his heel and followed the rest.

Suddenly, the corridor felt very, very deserted. Hermione felt a prickle go up her spine,

"You really didn't have to wait on me." She insisted, furiously picking up pearls. Tom lazily picked them up, seeming to enjoy putting her on edge,

"Oh, it's not a problem." He picked up the last one, standing up, Hermione followed suit. He dropped one, and it rolled towards the door of an empty classroom, "Oops. So clumsy of me." Tom said, feigning a mistake in such an obvious way, and walking over to the door. Huffing a little, Hermione followed him. He pushed open the door, reaching down to pick up the pearl that lay on the other side.

"Okay, now that that's finally done, why don't we he-" Hermione's words were cut off suddenly as she was whisked into the room, Tom's hands holding her shoulders with a gentle firmness, "What are you doing?" She demanded as he closed the door. Tom took his time answering, setting the pearls in his hand on the vacant teacher's desk and reaching into Hermione's hand, doing the same with the pearls he found there. He smirked,

"Relax. You're so tense." He replied, evading her question and pulling her a little further into the room.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked again, her patience beginning to wear thin and slowly being replaced by fear. Tom sighed, releasing her and looking her over again,

"Just having a little bit of fun. I dare say you need some after that boring dinner that we just sat through for an agonizing two hours." He said, then his voice dropped a little lower, "Sitting next to you that long, not being able to properly speak with you, touch you. . ." Suddenly, his arm was around her waist and he pulled her in, "That was agony." He muttered.

"Mr. Riddle, I really don't think that-"

"Shhh." Tom purred, brushing her hair from her face, "You really look beautiful this evening, _Hermione_." The way her name sounded from his lips sent a rebellious shiver down Hermione's spine. His lips so close to her ear- _this is wrong. _Hermione told herself, her eyes involuntarily closing. She felt something small, hard, wooden poke her chest. She suddenly looked down: Tom's wand. She looked up, and was met with his smoldering, deep eyes.

"_Legilimens._"

**Author's Note:** I've managed to rekindle an interest in this fanfiction, and I apologize for the lack of consistent updates. I'll really try to do better, now that I'm beginning to think of ideas again. Just a little bit of writer's block, you know?

I know that I've received several private messages and reviews complaining about Hermione's characterization, my plot choice, etc. I appreciate the feedback, I really do, but just know that this is my take on Hermione's character, and my take on what would happen if she were thrown back into this time period. I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you, but this is my take on what would happen. You're free to disagree as much as you want. :)

So, that said, what do you think Tom is up to? How do you think Hermione will handle it? Let me know!

And, as always, cheers!


	13. Chapter 13

**Surprise! A fast update, and our little fly-on-the-wall narrator has buzzed over around Tom Riddle. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 13**

Tom Marvolo Riddle could feel her skin warm under his fingers as he brushed a piece of bushy hair away from her face. He leaned down, tickling her ear with his warm breath as he used her first name in his most seductive, tantalizing voice. Tricking Hermione Blishwick through the same means he used on any other girl seemed almost wrong to him; didn't a surprisingly clever witch warrant different treatment? But no, as he could feel her involuntarily respond to his touch, he knew two things: one, that maybe Hermione Blishwick could be caught in the same trap as so many others, and two, she had some kind of preconceived dislike for him. Otherwise, why else would she be so against his advances? He was Head Boy, he was intelligent, and he was, (as so many girls had told him) attractive. If she didn't harbor a dislike for him, there would be no reason why she would not welcome a little seduction after a long, boring evening.

Tom slowly pulled out his yew wand, feeling it comfortably hum in his hand. He was _so close_ to getting what he wanted. He smirked a little: Lord Voldemort _always _got what he wanted.

He pressed his wand gently against her chest. Her head instantly snapped down to look, and then, her face turned up towards him. He locked his black eyes onto her brown, doe-like ones and murmured, ever so softly, as if to a lover, "_Legilimens._"

Tom felt himself being sucked into her mind, suddenly confronted with a whirlwind of images. Tom concentrated, searching for memories of her home, her family; anything that would help him to know who she was, exactly. Grindelwald just didn't go after people for nothing, after all.

_Finally. _He thought triumphantly, grabbing onto a memory that surfaced as he demanded an image of home. He delved into it, excitement growing in his chest. Maybe now, he would see where she was from, if her story about Australia was true, what her parents looked like.

Ah, there it was: the memory. A sunny, clear day in a slightly wild-looking garden, an awkwardly tall house in the background. Laughter; two identical, red-headed boys running around, Hermione laughing, bending down to pick up something. She screeched and dropped it, then bent down again, more determined this time. Tom could practically taste her determination. Then, she swung her arm around, and threw something.

_What the hell? _Tom suddenly grew confused. She exercised all of this determination to throw a _garden gnome_? What kind of memory was this? Frustrated, he attempted to retract from the memory, but found difficulty in doing so. All he could see were garden gnomes; lots and lots of garden gnomes, soaring through the air out of the garden. Then, he saw nothing. Absolutely nothing. Recognizing this as an attempt at Occulmency, he gathered up his strength, angry and frustrated, but mainly angry. Very, very angry. How dare this girl deny him?

Tom pounded into her mind, attacking the wall she had put up against him, testing it for a weakness, any weakness. He needed to know her, everything about her: if she could be trusted, who she was. Why she was here. Suddenly, the wall crumbled slightly, and he caught a glimpse of a pale white face, burning red eyes.

Then, abruptly, he was thrown back into the real world, staggering back from a furious-looking Hermione Blishwick.

"Hermione?" He asked, widening his eyes, "Are you alright?"

"Am I alright?" Hermione sputtered in disbelief, "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" She yelled, her wand coming out from inside her robes.

Oh, she was angry. _Delicious. _Tom thought smugly. On the outside, however, he widened his eyes in what he considered to be a concerned fashion,

"Hermione. . . it's just me. Tom Riddle. That's all." He paused, "Put your wand up, please. If I was moving too fast for you, that's okay. Just tell me and I'll stop." He said gently, calmly. The look on Hermione's face was almost too much to handle; he fought the urge to laugh at her fury.

"WHY, then, _Tom Riddle_, did you just use Legilimency on me?" She demanded, her wand still trained on him. Tom Riddle fought the urge to roll his eyes at her pointless questions.

"Legilimency? Did I?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't try that innocent act on me!" Hermione warned, raising her wand the slightest bit.

"Hermione, did you ever consider that before you could even cast a spell, my shield would be up in a moment?" Tom asked patiently, "And, do you really want to get caught out of bed after hours? Because it is, after all, after hours, and I being Head Boy, I could easily take you to the Headmaster and have you in some deep trouble." He examined her face for a moment, "Oh, and I could also mention that illegal Runes book that you have in your possession as well."

"How did you know about that book?" Hermione squeaked in surprise. Tom simply shrugged in a most infuriating way, "Are you _threatening_ me?" She then demanded.

"Threatening?" Tom Riddle said, feigning surprise on his handsome features, "Why, of course not. I'm simply _advising_ you on the best course of action for you at this moment." He corrected, sitting down on the teacher's desk in a relaxed manner, "And I would advise you to put up your wand so that we can talk about this like adults."

Hermione's hand shook a little bit. Tom watched her closely, his wand gripped in his fingers behind his back. Slowly, she lowered her arm, causing Tom to smirk inwardly, _That's right, Hermione. Like a good girl. _He thought.

"Talk about what?" She demanded, refusing to sit down, but holding her wand limply in her fingers. Tom looked up,

"I think you know what." He answered, adding a little bit of shyness into his voice. Perfection.

"Oh, the fact that you just tried to look inside my head? No, it's not a big deal at all; look anytime you want. Don't bother to ask me first or anything like that." Hermione snapped sarcastically. Tom stood up, taking a step closer to her,

"How kind of you to offer." He said, smirking, "All I was looking for was once little thing, actually."

"And what would that be?" Hermione demanded. Tom ruffled up the back of his hair, looking around, looking awkward and nervous,

"The day of your birthday. I think I remember Nagini mentioning it might be soon, and I. . . wanted to do something special." He stumbled through the sentence purposefully. Hermione, however narrowed her eyes even more,

"I've never told Nagini when my birthday is." She said, "And isn't that the kind of question you just ask somebody?" Tom frowned a little: _She hasn't told Nagini her birthday? Isn't that a normal girl thing to talk about?_

"I thought it might be more interesting this way." Tom replied, "Besides, it's not like you have anything to hide, right?" He asked, slowly taking steps closer to her until he felt her wand poke him in the chest, "I really don't think you want to do that, dear. Hexing people is not the only solution, you know." He teased lightly, amused to see her face contort into a look of anger. She was nearly as expressed in her emotions as a Gryffindor.

"You can't just bust into someone's mind either, _Tom_." She said testily.

"I suppose you're right. But how did you get so good at Occulmency?" He asked, truly curious. Hermione's eyes widened into an innocent expression,

"Occlumency? Did I?" She questioned, mimicking his tone from earlier. Now, Tom Riddle felt anger building in his throat; how dare she talk to him as if she were equal to him! He fought it, his face a cool facade,

"Alright, Hermione. . . it was a stupid thing to do. I'm sorry." He murmured, looking down at the ground, then looking back up to stare into her big brown eyes, "Can you forgive me and we can just forget this ever happened?" Hermione looked up into his eyes for a long moment, during which he made it a point to hold his breath,

"Okay, Tom." She answered softly. He exhaled in apparent relief,

"Thank Merlin. I was such an idiot." He said, taking one of her hands.

"Care to say that again for the record?" Hermione asked playfully.

"Not a chance." Tom replied curtly, pocketing his wand, "Come on, let's get back to the Common Room. The others will be wondering where we went." He turned to leave, starting towards the door with her warm hand in his cool one.

"Tom?" Hermione asked. When had she started calling him Tom? _I guess when I started calling her Hermione. _He thought, fighting the urge to scoff and instead looking over at her,

"Yes?" He asked. Hermione smiled a little,

"You forgot the pearls." She said, motioning to the desk where he had placed the pearls that he had helped her to pick up.

"Ah, yes." Tom reached over to the desk, picking them up. He was rather proud for thinking to break her necklace like he did; it was the perfect excuse to get her into this classroom in the first place to execute his plan of reading her mind. His plan had, of course, failed. And if there was once thing that Tom Riddle hated, it was when his plans failed. He then turned once again towards the door, pulling her along.

"Oh, and for future reference." Hermione said, a small smile on her lips, "My birthday was three weeks ago."

* ' * ' *

Tom Riddle sat on his bed in his private Head Boy quarters, paging through a book on the history of aquatic spells and enchantments. Whereas normally he would be quite engrossed in his reading, his mind could not seem to stop buzzing. Finally, he gave up, closing the book and setting it on the nightstand. He sighed, unbuttoning the top two buttons on his shirt and casting off his robes, flicking his wand and sending them across the room to rest in his closet in a tidy manner.

Hermione Blishwick was even more of an enigma than he originally thought. For one, she seemed to know exactly what Legilimency was. Well, that wasn't too surprising given her intelligence; she had probably read a great deal on the subject. Mind control and mind reading always did seem to be a fascinating subject for many people. But knowledge of advanced Occlumency. . . now, that was the puzzle. Occlumency was a subtle and lesser-known art, and there were few that knew how to practice it, because to practice Occlumency, you needed a person that could practice Legilimency in some capacity. But for Hermione to be able to practice such advanced Occlumency, that meant that she learned how to do so with a very powerful Legilimens.

Tom Riddle was not afraid to admit that he was a potent Legilimens, even though he still required the verbal spell and a wand. The art was rare: there were few that would be able to practice it in a more advanced way. Where had Hermione learned this art?

More importantly, there were the memories. Well, the useful memory: Tom sneered. _The garden gnomes don't count. _He thought stiffly.

No, right before he was thrown out of Hermione's mind, he saw an image. A vague image, but an image nonetheless. It appeared to be a person, or something that once was a person, but it was so deathly pale. Maybe a type of Inferius?_ No, no, inferi do not have red eyes. _Tom corrected himself. No, that wasn't an inferius he was in Hermione's memory. There were stronger associations with that memory: fear, sadness, an intense anger, more intense than he expected out of someone like Hermione. It wasn't the trifling, irritable anger that Tom received when provoking her attentions, it was deeper than that, with more foundation. For the image of that person, beast, whatever it was, to be the first thing Tom saw when breaking through Hermione's defenses, that meant that the person was extremely important to her, or caused some great stress or grief in her life.

_Funny. . . _Tom mused, _I would have expected to see Grindelwald. _

Who was the man, or the creature, that he saw, with such pale skin, and such bright red eyes? He _had_ to get into Hermione's mind again; he had to know who this being was. Somehow, he knew that it was important. Tom had always had the gift of a strong intuition, and was rarely wrong. This being was very important to Hermione, and Hermione did not seem the type to obsess over trifling things.

Suddenly, there came a soft knock on Tom Riddle's door.

"Tom? It's me." Said a soft female voice. Tom glanced over at the clock; midnight, exactly. Her typical time for coming up to his room. Tom reached over, grabbing his wand and lazily flicking it,

"Come in." He ordered as the door clicked open. Nagini entered the room, clad in a silk nightdress covered by a robe. She glanced at him,

"Can't sleep?" She asked him, shutting the door softly behind her.

"Well, Nagini, you do come and visit me at midnight every night, so why would I be asleep?" He asked pointedly. Nagini yawned, sitting on the end of his bed,

"You know what I mean. You're at least looking like you're about to go to sleep, most of the time." She replied, pausing for a moment, "So, how did it go with Hermione?" Tom sighed, running a hand through his hair,

"Not as I would hope." He admitted. Nagini raised her eyebrows,

"Really? She seemed rather friendly towards you once you two got back to the Common Room." She pointed out. Tom supposed she was right; once they had arrived back at the Slytherin Common Room, Nagini had mercilessly teased Hermione in a friendly way about her longer-then-usual absence, and Hermione even looked a little embarrassed. They then drank a good deal of Butterbeer smuggled in by Black (no one even bothered to ask him where he got it), and then they all headed up to bed in very good spirits.

"Yes, I know, but when we got into the classroom, she. . . didn't welcome my advances." He responded slowly.

"Oh?" Nagini asked, "I felt sure that she would. Unless. . ." She looked at Tom for a long moment. He kept his face expressionless, but she sighed in exasperation, "Don't tell me you tried to get into her head!"

"Only for a moment!" Tom protested, feeling exceedingly foolish in front of Nagini. Somehow, she always made him feel foolish about these types of schemes.

"Tom! The quickest way to a woman's heart is _not_ through her head." She lectured teasingly, "Merlin, you're hopeless. Now she won't trust you for a long time yet."

"I know!" Tom snapped, and the mirth was barely concealed in Nagini's face, "Look," He said, sliding down to the end of the bed to sit beside her, leaning in close, "I saw something, in her memories." He said quietly. Nagini scoffed,

"Yes, well I would imagine that you would see something." She replied sarcastically. Tom huffed, frustrated: if it wasn't Nagini beside him, that person would have been seriously injured by this point,

"Damn it Nagini, I'm serious!" He retorted. Nagini suddenly became quite serious as well, leaning in to listen to his words, "I saw a face. A very, very pale face, with red eyes that almost glowed, and no nose."

"Was it. . . human?" Nagini asked softly. Tom shook his head,

"I can't be sure. I only caught a fleeting glimpse of it."

"Well, why didn't you look for more of it? You know, in her memories?" Nagini questioned further. Tom sighed,

"She's an Occlumens."

"A what?" Nagini asked, perplexed.

"An Occlumens: a person that can resist a Legilimens." Tom explained, "They can keep certain memories safe, hidden, or even block off their mind completely if they're powerful." He paused, "And Hermione is powerful. Disturbingly powerful. She trapped me in a memory of _garden gnomes_ and then kicked me out of her mind completely once I broke through that wall." Nagini snorted as he mentioned the garden gnomes, "I know. It sounds absurd, but it was effective. That face, though; it's important. I know it is. Once a Legilimens breaks through the Occulmens's wall, usually the first thing that is seen is something of great importance, or something that causes great emotion. The emotions that Hermione felt for that face were bitter, angry, and sad." Nagini chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully for a few moments and Tom stood up, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding off his black pants, changing into black silk pajama pants and pulling on an emerald robe.

Nagini didn't seem to even notice as he changed right in front of her, even though half of the girls at Hogwarts would have killed to be sitting where she was; it was a common sight to her.

"To become an Occulmens, do you have to practice with a Legilimens?" Nagini asked suddenly, curiously.

"Yes. Actually, I wondering the same thing as well." Tom replied, sitting back down on the bed and thinking.

"I'll bet Dumbledore is a Legilimens." Nagini suddenly said.

_Yes, Dumbledore. That makes sense._ Tom thought suddenly. Dumbledore could be helping Hermione to prepare against his mental attacks; the professor never did seem to trust Tom, and he seemed to take a liking to Hermione.

"Hermione was summoned to Dumbledore's office the other day at breakfast." Tom said slowly. Nagini nodded,

"And he never seems to trust you, Tom. That could be it!"

There was still a missing piece to the puzzle, though: why Hermione? Why not Nagini, who was brilliant at Transfiguration and one of Dumbledore's best students, or Abraxas, or Black, or even Lestrange? Why was he so worried about Hermione? Was Hermione. . . spying on him? No, Hermione seemed to be a very poor liar.

"Do you think she's doing something for Dumbledore?" Tom asked out loud, still partially lost deeply within his own thoughts.

"Maybe. Or maybe it has some distant connection to Grindelwald or something. Hermione's parents were murdered by him, and you know that he's a Legilimens, so maybe Dumbledore's trying to protect Hermione from him." Nagini suggested. Tom smirked a little bit, glancing up at the girl that was sitting comfortably on the edge of his bed,

"If you were anyone else, I would have thrown you out by now." Tom muttered, "Hell, I would have never let you in." Nagini returned the smirk, stretching out and laying down on his bed, making herself comfortable,

"I know. But, then again, how would you come up with any of this stuff without me?" She questioned, laying her head on the pillow. Tom sighed, surrendering the pillow and remaining sitting up,

"I hope you're comfortable." He said sarcastically. Nagini looked up at him,

"Oh, not to worry, I am." She assured, putting her hands behind her head. Tom looked down at the girl, his mind churning. Nagini was helpful, that was for sure. Brighter and more efficient than any of his other. . . helpers, well, followers, as he liked to call them. But she was also bold, unpredictable, and seemed to have an agenda of her own at times. Lord Voldemort never did seem to care for free thinkers that were also powerful. Nagini, though. . . she was too valuable of a brain to lose. Not now, and possibly not ever. Her free spirit was just an unfortunate burden that he had to bear for the time being.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked, interrupting his thoughts, something that she seemed to do quite often.

"Hermione Blishwick." Tom lied smoothly, "And what I'm going to do about her." Nagini frowned,

"What do you mean?" Tom sighed,

"She's very clever, and she's hiding something. If nothing else, tonight proved that." Tom answered, "I have to find out what it is. It's important."

"Ah." Nagini replied, closing her eyes for a few moments, "Well, why don't you just ask her?"

Tom stared at her in disbelief: just ask her? Ask her what? _Hey, Hermione, who was the creepy looking bloke who seems to haunt your mind permanently?_ Like _that _would go over well,

"Nagini? For all of your smarts, I could swear that you're an idiot sometimes." He snapped at her. She put up her hands,

"Fine, fine, we're past that stage now, ever since the whole I'm-going-to-invade-your-mind-without-asking thing. What did you use as an excuse anyway?" She suddenly asked curiously. Tom hesitated a moment,

"I said that you said it was her birthday soon, and I wanted to do something special for her." Nagini's lip quivered for a second. Then, she burst out into laughter,

"Merlin, Tom! Her birthday?" She continued to laugh, rolling over on her side, "That's the worst excuse I ever did hear!"

Tom felt his normally pale face grow slightly red with anger; no one laughed at Lord Voldemort. Ever. He grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back over to where she was laying on her back once again. When Nagini looked up into his eyes, her laughter died in her throat. She felt his fingers tighten on her shoulder,

"I do not enjoy being the subject of your insignificant laughter, Nagini." Tom Riddle said in a dangerously soft, calm voice. Nagini winced,

"Tom, that hurts!" She yelped. Satisfied, Tom withdrew his hand. She rubbed her shoulder, not saying anything for a long moment. Then, she suddenly had an idea, "Tom, you said that to become an Occlumens, you have to practice with a Legilimens, right?"

"That is correct, Nagini." He replied coolly.

"Well, why don't you just offer to practice with her?" Nagini suggested, sitting up on her knees, a thing she did whenever she had a good idea, "Offer to teach her very basic legilimency, and ask her to teach you occulmency. You two can practice with each other, and you can control what she sees of your memories, and control how much you teach her. Only teach her a little, show her a few childhood memories, gain her trust. Then, learn more about her, timidly test her defenses to make her think it's the best you've got." Nagini paused, "Then, when you've learned how to sufficiently break her mental walls, smash them. Take the memories you want." Tom stared at her,

"Nagini, I could kiss you." He declared. She just looked at him,

"Please don't." She replied. He laughed; a deep, rich sound,

"Oh, not to worry, I wouldn't even if you begged me to." He paused "It's just an expression. But, that is an idea you've got there. Of course, it will have to be refined, but I think it could work."

"Good." Nagini nodded, then hesitantly asked, "Have you thought anymore about. . ." She trailed off. Tom shook his head firmly,

"No, I have not. I have better things to think about at the moment."

Nagini didn't react to this comment but with a simple nod. She stood up,

"I should get back to the dormitory before someone wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes I'm gone." Tom looked at her,

"Yes, you should." He said mildly. She scoffed,

"Some grateful git you are, Tom Riddle."

"Language, Nagini." He corrected in the same mild tone.

"Asshole." She shot back menacingly. He smirked at her,

"Goodnight." Nagini rolled her eyes, opening the door,

"Sometimes, I wonder why I even put up with you." She shot back, then instantly regretted it.

"We both know why you do." Tom Riddle said quietly.

Nagini took a deep breath, trying to think of a clever retort, but finally hung her head in defeat, "I know." She whispered, then shook her head as if clearing something out of her mind, "Goodnight, Tom Riddle." She said firmly, stepping out of the door and shutting it.

Tom sighed, relaxing back into his bed. The pillow was still slightly warm from where Nagini's head had been. He frowned; for some reason, this bothered him. He turned over the pillow, laying his head back onto it. Much better,

Nagini's plan did have some merit: it could work. It would seem like a fair trade: magic for magic. And if Hermione Blishwick did have a weakness, it was magic.

He would discover her secret.

Lord Voldemort _always_ got what he wanted. Always.

**Author's Note: I definitely did get my muse back, and here we are: a fast update, though a little shorter than usual. I decided to take a little bit different point of view and center everything around Tom Riddle this time. What do you think?**

**I can honestly say don't expect as fast of an update next, as I am going out of town, but I will definitely be working on the story during my very long car rides. Thank you all so much for the reviews and encouragement for the last chapter; I really do appreciate it. As always, if you have the time, let me know what you think of this chapter.**

**Cheers!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Hermione sleepily laid down on her bed, trying to stop her overly active mind from the constant consideration of the night's events. Tom Riddle definitely suspected her of something: attempting to break into her mind was evidence of that. She groaned: how could she be so stupid as to allow herself to be alone with him like that? Now, he knew that she could block him out and, knowing him, he would want to know why. Hopefully, since she accepted his apology, he would forget about that instance, but that was highly unlikely.

The door to the dormitory opened and Nagini came walking in, flopping down on her bed with a sigh. She looked over at Hermione,

"Thank goodness for Alphard Black. Maybe he's not so bad after all; that butter beer was delicious." She said with a yawn, pulling her covers up to her chin.

"Mm, it was." Hermione replied, yawning as well.

"Well, goodnight, Hermione. Oh, and don't think that I forgot about your and Tom's little absence. I shall want to know all about it in the morning." Nagini said with a smirk. Hermione chuckled a little,

"Of course. Goodnight." She turned over on her side, pulling the covers up close to her face, and drifted off to sleep.

* ' * ' *

Hermione awoke to the sound of a soft click. She looked around in the moonlit room for the source of the noise. The small clock on her bedside table read 12:05 AM.

Then, her eyes fell on Nagini's empty bed.

Slightly confused, but mainly exhausted, Hermione fell back asleep.

* ' * ' *

"Good morning, Hermione!" Nagini greeted with a winning smile. Hermione sat beside her at the breakfast table in the Great Hall,

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Hermione asked, curious about Nagini's absence the previous night. In her tired state, Hermione did not even consider getting up to look for the girl. She was angry at herself for not doing it now.

"Oh, like a rock. I was exhausted."  
>"No late night excursions, then?" Hermione teasingly prodded. Nagini laughed,<p>

"No, not last night."

It was a lie. A bald-faced lie. Where ever Nagini had gone, she obviously didn't want it to be known. Or, maybe Hermione had dreamed up the whole thing. She was, after all, so exhausted that she barely remembered the incident, but it seemed important. Hermione had a good intuition, and was hardly ever wrong. She was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts by the arrival of the Slytherin boys who, as usual, said their hellos and made a bunch of racket as they situated themselves at the table. And, as usual, Tom Riddle sat between her and Nagini, blocking off any more direct conversation between the two.

"Hello, Hermione." He said, a bit of shyness creeping into his voice. Hermione fought the almost overwhelming desire to laugh at his acting.

"Good morning, Tom." She replied, lowering her eyes a little. They fell into an awkward silence for a moment,

"Are you looking forward to our free period this morning?" He asked finally, clearly trying to draw her back into conversation.

"Oh, yes. It's nice to have one every once in a while." Hermione answered blandly, not offering much for him to work with. Suddenly, the owls came through the passage in the ceiling and began to deliver mail. Neither Hermione or Tom paid much attention, since neither had any parents from which to even receive mail. A large white owl dropped an envelope at Malfoy's plate. He looked mildly surprised,

"This isn't my family's owl." He commented, picking up the envelope that was neatly addressed to him. The owl also dropped an envelope at Nagini's plate. Nagini wordlessly picked up her envelope as well. The two opened the letters, reading them quickly and with mutual expressions of shock on their faces.

"Well, what does it say?" Avery asked, attempting to read over Malfoy's shoulder. Malfoy folded the letter back quickly and looked up at Nagini. Nagini looked up at Malfoy. They quickly exchanged letters and read them.

"Well?" Lestrange asked, sounding slightly annoyed. Nagini huffed, looking annoyed,

"Malfoy and I are co-captains of the Slytherin Quidditch team this year." She announced, not sounding too excited about the prospect. Malfoy looked positively livid,

"Yes, apparently they were too afraid to name me as the singular captain because Nagini might become too upset." Malfoy spit out. Nagini's face grew red,

"Shut up, you son of a bitch! The reason is our backwards-thinking Head of House obviously doesn't think that a woman can handle the position all by herself." She slammed her letter onto the table, "You read it yourself."

The table fell into an awkward silence. Lestrange looked angry himself, as he hoped that he would be the captain, Hermione felt slight anger at the letter that Nagini received, and Tom just looked politely bored. Finally, he spoke,

"This might just be the perfect time for you two to become efficient coworkers." Tom Riddle suggested with a fake cheeriness. At this, Nagini looked as if she would explode,

"Bastard." She spat at the future Dark Lord, standing up and grabbing her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"Excuse me?" Tom Riddle asked, his voice dangerously soft, "It isn't my fault that you didn't get the position, you know. It's yours: thanks to your lack of ability to think clearly and rid yourself of your obnoxiously supercilious attitude." Hermione stared at Tom, her eyes wide and disbelieving. Avery's jaw actually dropped. Nagini just stared at Tom Riddle for a long moment,

"No wonder your mother died giving birth to you." She commented softly, then turned away, walking out of the Great Hall, her head held high.

If the table was quiet before, it was silent now. Lestrange spit out his drink as Nagini's final comment came out of her mouth, and Malfoy stared after her, his face so white that he looked like a ghost. A nerve in Tom's jaw jumped as he grit his teeth, but then he picked up a piece of toast. His eyes were kept on his plate, and Hermione could detect the slightest trace of red in them. It faded quickly. She studied Tom as he continued to eat his toast as if nothing had even happened. Finally, his eyes looked up to meet hers,

"Can I help you?" He asked coldly, impassively, and politely. He stood up, looking around at the group. Hermione sighed,

"It's nothing." She replied, finishing her pumpkin juice.

"Good. I will be going now." Tom said, stalking out of the Great Hall. Hermione looked after him worriedly. She needed to go and find Nagini; there was no way that Lord Voldemort would let a comment like Nagini's just go unpunished. She stood up, picking up her bag. Malfoy suddenly looked up at her,

"If you have it in your mind that you're going to go and find Nagini, don't." He said with a quiet firmness. Hermione looked at him,

"Why?" She asked, looking straight into his eyes. He returned her gaze,

"Nagini does not like to be found when she's angry. I can almost guarantee you that you won't be able to find her even if you tried." Avery nodded,

"He's right. Nagini tends to keep to herself a lot if anything actually makes her angry." He agreed, "You'd be better off just enjoying your free period." Hermione sighed, looking over at Wilkes and Rosier, who had been silent nearly the entire meal. Not that that was too unusual.

"Well, aren't any of you going to go look for Tom?" She asked suddenly. Wilkes looked up at her, slightly confused,

"Why would we do that?" He asked.

"Aren't you his friends?" Hermione asked pointedly. No one met her eyes, "Okay. I'll see you later." She said, and then quit the Great Hall. She quickly strode off towards the dungeons, wondering if she would be able to find Nagini. Something told her that she was in deep trouble, and that Tom Riddle would be the source of it. She couldn't let Nagini be hurt; she was the only friend that Hermione had in this time, and the only one who didn't seem to be working for Tom Riddle the whole time. Just the fact that she could say such a thing to Tom Riddle proved that she wasn't completely under Tom's control yet. If anyone could help Hermione in her mission, it might be Nagini. If she hated Tom enough, she might just help Hermione with some details that she needed.

But none of that could happen in Nagini was dead.

Hermione broke into a run, not even noticing nor caring about the strange looks she received: she had to get there before it was too late.

"_Mimblewimble_!" Hermione said frantically, the wall to the Common Room sliding open. She rushed in; Tom and Nagini were no where to be found, "Nagini?" She called, rushing up the stairs to her dormitory. Empty. She wrenched open the door to the boys dormitory. Empty, except for Alphard Black, who looked at her in a confused manner. She ran up the stairs, out of breath.

Soft sounds came from the Head Boy apartment.

Hermione pressed her ear up against the door: yes, there were whispers, and one of them was most definitely female, though, try as she might, Hermione could not catch a words of what was being said. Gripping her wand in her hand, Hermione took a deep breath and pounded on the door. A moment later, an annoyed looking Tom Riddle opened the door.

"Yes?" He asked coldly.

"Where's Nagini?" Hermione demanded. He scoffed,

"Why would I care where she is?" He asked testily.

"She's in your room, I know it! I heard whispers." Hermione retorted. Tom Riddle sighed in an annoyed manner, stepping away from the door and throwing it open wide so that she would see inside. The room was empty of any person save for Tom. Something about looking into Voldemort's personal living space also felt wrong, so Hermione struggled for words for a minute,

"Oh." She finally said.

"Yes, oh indeed." Tom Riddle snapped.

"I thought I heard whispers." Hermione said again. Tom looked at her for a long moment,

"Were you listening at my door?" He demanded. Hermione took her time to reply, realizing just how rash her actions were,

"Only for a moment. I was trying to decide if Nagini was in there with you." She replied carefully.

"Why would it matter if she were?" Tom continued to question.

"I'm worried about her. She seemed very upset." Tom's eyes flashed,

"Of course she did." He paused, his face slipping back into an impassive mask, "It's so nice outside. Hermione. Let me put on my robes and we'll take a walk." Hermione had not noticed until that moment that he only wore the white button-up shirt and black slacks of the Hogwarts uniform. As he walked across the room to fetch his robes, she could not deny that he was handsome.

Handsome, and incredibly dangerous.

* ' * ' *

The day really was lovely, thought the hints of a crisp wind reminded Hermione that Halloween was close by. She walked by the lake, gazing in at the murky depths to see shady silhouettes moving beneath the surface. Tom Riddle said nothing, walking slightly ahead of her and seeming to be lost in his own thoughts. Whether they were thoughts of world domination, murder, or study, Hermione could not say. He reached a sunny patch of grass and sat down, lounging back and resting his weight on his elbows, his dark eyes closing peacefully.

From where she was standing, he had the look of a statue of some type of god from muggle mythology. Hermione sat down in the grass as well, not saying anything for a long time, afraid of what might happen if she did.

"There's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend." Tom said suddenly, looking across the lake at the Forbidden Forest. Hermione nodded,

"Yeah, that should be fun. Dippet said that he would sign my form as a representative as my guardian, since I don't exactly have one." She said conversationally, following his gaze. She then saw several thestrals take off into the sky. She watched them, thinking of Luna Lovegood, who had first told Harry about the mysterious beasts, and thinking about the time when Hermione herself could not see the animals.

How she wished that those times would return.

When she looked back at Tom, she realized that he was looking at her with curiosity,

"Can you see them?" He asked. Hermione met his eyes briefly,

"Yes." She answered, "Can you?" She added, even though she already knew the answer,

"Yes." He paused, "Thestrals are curious creatures. They are so gentle, yet so morbid. Many people are afraid of them. I guess that's because they are supposed to remind you of what you've lost." His choice of the word "supposed" was not lost on Hermione.

"I guess." She replied, not bothering to tell him that they did remind her of what she had lost, and of her friends, her family. She waited a long moment, "Who did you see die?" She asked curiously.

"My grandfather." Tom said without hesitation. When Hermione realized that that was the very grandfather he had murdered, she felt slightly sick on the inside, "It was not sad, though." He added. _I'm sure it wasn't, you killer_. Hermione thought lividly, "Who did you see die?" He asked.

Hermione was not prepared for this question. Who _didn't_ she see die? The final battle had been horrible, with death all around her. Lupin. Tonks. Fred. So many deaths, for so little gain. Then, she had escaped that battle only to fight a whole new one: watching Ron drink himself away until he would die. Ginny slowly approaching death because of a curse that would be cast by the teenager sitting in front of her. Finally, she answered,

"My aunt Bertha." Hermione lied, "She fell off her broom and broke her neck. I was eight." Tom studied her for a long moment,

"I'm sorry." He said, and the attempted feeling behind the words was useless; they sounded fake, and two dimensional. Just like everything Tom Riddle said did. The pair fell back into silence, "You know, Dippet had to sign my form for Hogsmeade too." He said suddenly.

"Did he?" She asked, then, it hit her; she wasn't supposed to know anything about Tom Riddle's past.

"He did." He answered. Hermione paused for a moment, summoning her courage,

"Tom. . . what Nagini said earlier. . . what did she mean?" She asked slowly. Tom's head snapped over to look her in the eyes, and for a moment, Hermione was afraid that he would just _Crucio_ her right there. He, thankfully, did no such thing and just looked at her for a long moment, an unreadable expression in his eyes. Finally, he spoke,

"She is referring to the fact that my mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me." He said softly, "And my no-good father was never there. So, I grew up without parents." Tom Riddle did not say these words with any trace of sadness or any other emotion of the sort; he said it matter-of-factly, and clearly did not want Hermione's sympathy. In truth, she really did feel sorry for him; to grow up as an orphan was not a fate anyone deserved, even someone like Tom Riddle. Maybe if he did have parents that loved and cared for him, understood his magical ability, and taught him control. . . maybe he would have turned about differently. Maybe he would have been brilliant, and brilliantly evil; maybe he would have been friendly and charming, not friendly and charming in a cool facade that he always put on. Maybe, if Tom Marvolo Riddle's mother had not foolishly charmed the muggle Tom Riddle with a love potion, her son would have had a chance to be a normal human being. But, because of her ignorance, she created a monster.

A monster that somehow did not seem like a monster quite yet.

So, despite his best attempts to suppress her pity, Hermione was overflowing with it. She remembered what Harry had told her that Dumbledore had told him: "Do not pity the dead. Pity the living. And, most of all, pity those who live without love." Tom Riddle did not, and never would, know love.

"Tom. . ." Hermione said softly, his name sounding gentle and natural on his lips, "I'm so sorry." His jaw clenched the slightest bit, but he shook his head,

"Don't be. You have enough terrible things to worry about that have happened to your family. Do not burden yourself further by worrying about mine." Tom Riddle ordered. Somehow, the order did not seem so harsh; it seemed genuine. Hermione looked up into his eyes, and then saw that his eyes did not match his tone at all. She sighed in disappointment,

"Well, I am sorry." She simply replied, and she was. She was sorry for multiple things, none of which she could tell him. He would not understand. They fell back into silence once more. Off in the distance, figures could be seen on broomsticks zooming around the Quidditch Pitch.

"I wonder what Slughorn was thinking, putting both Malfoy and Nagini as Quidditch Captain." Hermione said suddenly. Tom shrugged,

"Nagini will have to learn that her actual self-importance does not always equal what she presumes it to be." He said quietly. Sensing ambiguity to his words, Hermione looked over at him,

"What do you mean?" She questioned carefully. He smirked,

"What I said." He responded cheekily, clearly back to his normal mood. Hermione scoffed,

"You know, Tom Riddle, some could say that you're a bit arrogant yourself." She told him pointedly. His smirk widened,

"Well, Hermione Blishwick, some could say that I _know _my own worth, and my estimate is quite accurate." Tom responded, lounging back into the grass lazily once more. Hermione chose not to respond to this comment and laid back in the grass as well, conjuring some canaries with her wand and watching them fly about.

Tom shot a spell at one of her birds and it turned into a miniature dragon, breathing small puffs of fire.

"Hey!" Hermione said, laughing a little. She changed the tiny dragon into a butterfly and sent it flying away. He shot another spell at a different canary and it turned into an owl. She responded by changing the large owl into bubbles. They continued this way for a little while, Tom especially showing off when he transformed one of the tiny canaries into an almost full-grown vulture that attempted to attack Hermione, but she laughed it off and showered Tom Riddle in a storm of glitter.

Finally, after the last canary was gone, Hermione sighed,

"Well, I think that our free period is almost up." Tom nodded, sitting up,

"Yes, we have Defense Against the Dark Arts next." He confirmed, standing up and brushing himself off. Hermione stood up after him, doing the same. He didn't move right away, however, and stood looking at her, "Hermione?" He asked.

"Yes?" Hermione answered, looking up at him. He ran a hand through his hair,

"I know Lestrange asked you, but I don't think you've given him an answer, so. . ." He took a deep breath, "Would you like to accompany me to Hogsmeade this weekend?" He asked. Hermione stared at him in shock; was he serious?

"Uh. . ." She began ungracefully, "Sure, I would love to." She replied. He smiled,

"Excellent." He picked up her bag and slung it over his shoulder, offering her his arm, "Shall we go to class?" He asked. She took his arm,

"Yes, let's go." She said, and they began their walk to the castle.

Tom Marvolo Riddle smirked to himself; excellent indeed.

**Author's Note: Thanks for all of the positive feedback I have been getting: I'm glad that you're liking the story! I apologize for the update time, but I will try and do at least one chapter every two weeks (but hopefully more). So, what do you think about Tom Riddle? Do you think that Hermione's sympathies are well-placed? Let me know, and cheers!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Now, I'm hoping that we can all disregard the horrendous events from last week, and also condone Miss Blishwick's bravery and skill. The ability to cast a Patronus charm is rare indeed, and we are grateful for her." Professor Merrythought announced, and the class clapped politely. Hermione tried not to look too smug under their praise. "However," Merrythought continued, "We must now continue on with our lessons." The class barely suppressed its groans. Hermione, however, quickly fetched her Defense Against the Dark Arts book and placed it on her desk along with a roll of parchment, quill at the ready.

"Get out your wands, please." Merrythought instructed. Hermione set the quill down and fetched her wand instead. Or, at least, she tried to. When Hermione reached into her robes, however, the wand was no where to be found. A bit of panic seized Hermione. She quickly began to search her robes, then her bag, but her wand was no where to be found. Then, she caught sight of Tom Riddle's lazy smile as he twirled something between his fingers in the chair next to her.

"Looking for something, Miss Blishwick?" He asked, smirking.

"Give me my wand, _Tom_." Hermione instructed bossily. Tom Riddle smirked again,

"As you wish, princess." He said, handing over her wand. She snatched it from him and turned her attention back to Merrythought, trying not to scoff at his sarcastic comment.

"Now, we will be working on developing our nonverbal magic skills." Merrythought told the class, summoning a book to her nonverbally with ease, "As you can see, if you can cast spells nonverbally, you have a considerable advantage over your opponent because they will have more trouble anticipating your movements. Now, I have put a list of spells on the board, all of then useful to know nonverbally. If you please, partner up and practice the spells together on a dummy. Some of them are not dangerous necessarily, but I do not trust all of you to practice discretion when practicing with each other." She shot a sly look at Alphard Black, who grinned, "Anyhow, off you go, and spread out!"

Hermione put away her book and stood up, looking around at the Slytherins near her.

"Be my partner, Blishwick?" Avery asked with a smile.

"Sure!" Hermione replied, flicking her wand and summoning a dummy to them. Meanwhile, Lestrange and Malfoy had paired up, Black and Rosier, and, of course, Tom and Nagini. Hermione and Avery walked to an open space closer to the wall in order to have more room.

"Okay, let's try the first one." Avery said, squinting at the board for a moment. He then jabbed his wand at the dummy, concentrating hard. Nothing happened. He huffed trying again, his eyebrows knitted with deep concentration. Still, nothing. "Fine then. You try." He said. Hermione looked at the dummy, jabbing her wand at it and thinking _Stupefy! _

A jet of red light shot out of her wand and struck the dummy, sending it wheeling back a little. Avery shook his head, jabbing his wand again to no effect,

"Damn, I'm terrible!" He said with his usual good-natured laugh. Hermione laughed a little with him,

"No, you've just started. Are you really repeating the incantation in your head? Think of it in the same tone of voice that you would say it." She instructed. Avery nodded, whispering the incantation softly to himself. He then gripped his wand and tried again. This time, a weak jet of red light shot out of his wand and bumped into the dummy. Despite the weak spell, Avery was elated,

"Did you see that?!" He exclaimed excitedly. He then tried again, this time the light becoming a little stronger, "Alright, let's try some more!" Hermione chuckled a little at his enthusiasm. She then read the next spell off of the board and they continued their practice. Soon, the seriousness of the class began to fade a little, and the students began shooting nonverbal spells at each other.

"Class!" Professor Merrythought exclaimed, at first looking irritated, but then shaking her head, "Oh, bother. Just keep practicing. And _NO_ dangerous hexes, Mr. Black!" She announced, looking at Alphard Black who just, yet again, grinned and saluted,

"Yes ma'am." He replied solemnly. The rest of the class laughed and soon was back to shooting various spells at each other and at the poor dummies.

"Avery!" Hermione exclaimed as she laughed hysterically as the tickling jinx overtook her. Luckily, Avery's nonverbal skills were still not incredibly strong, and she cast a quick _Finite Incantatem, _the tickling mercifully ceasing. He looked crush,

"How come it's so easy for you?" He whined a little. Hermione laughed,

"Practice." She couldn't say, of course, that nonverbal magic was taught her sixth year of Hogwarts. He sighed,

"If you say so." He grumbled, pulling his wand back up again. He began to practice on the dummy once more, Hermione occasionally offering him tips and encouragement. Behind him, she could see Tom and Nagini practicing spells on the dummy, neither one even looking like they were concentrating at all. Various colors of light struck the dummy as it staggered back and forth, ropes appearing and disappearing, shrinking in size and then growing large again.

Then, Tom cast a spell, and the dummy turned into a hissing and sputtering snake. Nagini, surprisingly, laughed as it hissed at her. She then quickly looked around the room; Hermione averted her gaze,

"Yes, just think of the incantation stronger." She instructed Avery. He nodded and knitted his eyebrows once more before shooting another spell at their dummy. After a few moments, Hermione stole a glance at Nagini and Tom.

When Hermione looked back towards Tom and Nagini, she looked just in time to see a jet of green light hit the snake, and it flopped to the floor, dead. Then, another wave of the wand, and it transfigured into the dummy again. Hermione felt slightly sick, then looked up at the holder of the wand who cast the killing curse, only to feel even sicker.

Nagini pocketed her wand with a laugh, and nothing more.

* ' * ' *

_"_Avada Kedavra_!" The deranged Death Eater roared, and Hermione's scream was just as loud as her father's._

_ "YOU MONSTER!" Hermione yelled, her wand sending spells at the Death Eater, who just laughed and laughed. His chest ripped open, blood pouring everywhere, and he laughed. His eyesight vanished into inky blackness, and he laughed. His body jumped and twisted under the pain of torture, and he laughed._

_ Hermione's tears ran freely, but her face was in a grimace. She tortured him like she had tortured no soul before, but it never got to him until the end, when the Ministry officials arrived and he knew that he was going to Azkaban prison. Then, his laughter turned into tears._

_ Hermione pleaded self-defense in her trial, and the Ministry accepted it without further questioning. The man was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her parents. A Death Eater that no longer had a face, and had no name to Hermione._

_ Even though she lost control, Hermione did not use any Unforgivable Curses, and thus, she kept her sanity in the memory._

_ Deep down, Hermione questioned whether the reason that she did not use the Killing Curse was for her righteous refusal to use an Unforgivable Curse, or for the reason that she did not want the Death Eater to die painlessly. She wanted him to suffer._

_ Oh, how she wanted him to suffer._

_ And that answered her question, even if she refused to admit it to herself._

Hermione awoke with a start, her breathing hard. She kept her head laying on the library table, taking a few moments to steady her breathing. The memory had been terrible. Walking in to find her parents dead, withstanding the trial of the Death Eater that did it. . . even if it wasn't a fair trail for the Death Eater, it was still torture for Hermione, a torture that she could never escape. After all, now it was a memory that would never go away.

After a few more moments, Hermione sat up looking down blankly at the books spread out in front of her. What time was it? Outside, the sky was fading into a dark blue, and then an inky blackness. She must have been asleep for almost an hour. Groaning a little bit, Hermione rubbed the sleep from her eyes and closed the books in front of her. She had just finished her potions homework when she had decided to take another look at the mysterious runic book she had found, but to no avail. The hand-drawn runes on the inside were like no runes she had ever seen before. As much as she hated to admit it, she had no clue how to read them.

Not yet, anyway.

Hermione stood up, dropping her books back into her bag neatly, looking around at the empty library. She was sitting at a table in the back, and that portion of the library was completely deserted, hence her ability to fall asleep for that long unnoticed. In truth, the library looked a bit creepy, with the lamps burning that low; Hermione shivered a little and slung her bag over her shoulder.

_I wonder if that supposed illegal book that Tom mentioned is this runes book that I have. I need to check up on the title, possibly in the Restricted Section. There might be some mention of the author, and if I can find that-_

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry." Hermione apologized quickly, looking up into the face of the boy she had just run into while lost in her own thoughts.

"No need, Miss Blishwick." John Wilkes replied coolly, his angled features showing only mild annoyance. In his right hand, he held a rather large leather book, and on the floor near his feet was another one. Hermione quickly stooped to pick it up, handing it to his outstretched hand, "Thank you." He added curtly, his voice softening just the slightest bit.

"You're welcome. It's the least I can do after running into you so rudely." Hermione quickly replied, feeling an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. Whereas Nagini, Black, Avery, Malfoy, and even Tom Riddle himself were starting to become almost familiar, Wilkes and his partner in crime Rosier still gave Hermione the creeps.

"No trouble at all, I can assure you." Wilkes answered, a little more warmly. Him and Hermione stood there in an awkward silence for a moment, the silence of the empty library not doing much to ease the situation, "Would you like to return to the Common Room with me? I was just putting these books back, and you must be hungry." It was the most words that Hermione had heard Wilkes utter since she first arrived.

"Hungry?" Hermione asked vaguely.

"You did not attend lunch or dinner today." Wilkes pointed out. Almost as if on command, Hermione's stomach rumbled. He smiled the slightest bit, "I'll just put these back." He walked to the next aisle of books and placed the two large books that he had been carrying back on the shelves.

"Do you read a lot?" Hermione asked curiously as they began the walk back to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Not if I can help it." Wilkes replied shortly, beginning to descend a staircase. It took Hermione a moment to realize that he was teasing, and she chuckled a bit nervously.

"I see." She replied, not thinking of anything else to say. She felt jittery and odd; what was wrong with her? Wilkes seemed to pick up the cue that she did not feel like talking anymore and finished the walk in silence, speaking only to say the password to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Hermione!" Nagini exclaimed as soon as the pair arrived in the Common Room, "Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere for you!" Hermione looked at the girl, her stomach turning again as she thought of the jet of green light shooting out of Nagini's wand. She couldn't seem to find words to speak.

"We ran into each other in the library." Wilkes finally answered for her, "I don't think Miss Blishwick feels too well." He added, trying his best to look concerned. It was an admirable effort, really.

"Come sit down, then." Malfoy insisted, immediately jumping up from the couch to give Hermione his seat.

"I'm fine, really." Hermione managed to say, still feeling a little queasy. Malfoy firmly took her forearm and directed her over to the couch,

"No, I insist." He pressed. She sighed, sitting down on the couch and taking a moment to gather her spinning head, closing her eyes.

"Have you eaten since breakfast?" Wilkes asked her. She shook her head. A moment later, some bread was being pressed into her hand,

"Eat this. It will make you feel better." Malfoy said. Hermione mechanically ate a few bites of the bread, the food sticking in her throat as she swallowed. After a few quiet minutes, she opened her eyes. Nagini, Malfoy, and Wilkes all sat around her, looking at her in a concerned way.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Nagini asked softly, gently putting her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Despite the fact that Nagini's actions were the cause of her strange mood in the first place, Hermione could not help but feel touched by their concern. She nodded,

"Yes, I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you. I think the bread helped a lot." She said, nodding at Malfoy, who looked at her earnestly. Somehow, their concern really did seem genuine.

"Miss Blishwick?" Came a gentle male voice. Hermione knew without looking that Tom Riddle had entered the Common Room and joined the group, "What's going on?" He asked, walking in front of her and kneeling down to be eye level with her.

"I just felt a little sick. That's all. But, I'm feeling much better now." Hermione replied, only making eye contact for a second. Eye contact was crucial in Legilimency, and even though it appeared that Tom Riddle still needed the spell to enter her mind, she didn't want to take any chances. That, and the deep brown of his eyes with his brows slightly knitted just so was too much to look at, and not at all fair.

"You weren't at lunch or dinner today." Tom stated, still peering at her. It was a statement, not a question, but it somehow still required an answer.

"I had a lot of homework to catch up on." Hermione lied quickly. Wilkes nodded,

"I met up with her in the library, actually. Did you have a nice nap?" He asked dryly. Hermione cracked a smile,

"Wonderful, thank you." She poked back at Wilkes. He smiled a little,

"Glad to see that you're feeling better." He said, then walked over closer to the fireplace and joining in on a conversation with Rosier and Lestrange, who had just entered the Common Room.

"You fell asleep in the library?" Tom Riddle asked, a little amusement in his eyes, "You must have been quite tired indeed."

"Yes, I was." Hermione admitted: why were they all being so nice to her? _Maybe it's because we're friends. _Hermione suddenly realized. Well, maybe not friends. Maybe just very close acquaintances. Suddenly, she felt Tom Riddle's cool hand brush her own briefly,

"Well, get plenty of sleep tonight, Hermione." He said, a tiny smile, or was it a smirk?, caressing his lips. He said, the words sounding caring, but when Hermione looked up into his eyes, they were blank. Or, at least, almost blank. They almost seemed to be smoldering. She felt an uncanny jump in her stomach: butterflies. Butterflies for Tom Riddle. Butterflies for Lord Voldemort. On the outside, Hermione smiled a little,

"I will. Thank you, Tom." His smile widened a little,

"I wouldn't want my Hogsmeade date to be indisposed tomorrow."

Several things happened at that moment: there was a _bang!_ Of Clayton Lestrange storming out of the room and heading up the spiral staircase, slamming the door to his dormitory. There was the instant whispering of two female voices; Hermione was sure she knew who they were. And, of course, there was the cat-like smile on Nagini's face as she stood up from the couch and pulled Malfoy away with her. Tom released Hermione's hand and sat down on the couch where Nagini had been but a moment before, his knee just barely touching her own. It made her feel nervous and jittery on the inside.

"I'm sure I'll feel fine tomorrow." She forced herself to say with a small attempt at a smile. In truth, she just felt like falling onto the floor and positively melting away. What was wrong with her?

"I am glad." He replied, his arm casually resting across the back of the couch and he leaned a little closer to her, "Do you hear them? This is entertaining." He whispered. As he did so, Hermione could not help but crack a small smile as Florence and Lucille immediately began humming like a swarm of angry bees.

"I guess they think that it's attractive." She whispered back. He smirked,

"Well, they're not." He replied shortly, his dark eyes still fixated on Hermione, his surprisingly warm knee still barely touching hers. She felt restless, like she was about to jump right out of her skin. He smirked, "Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, his features feigning concern.

"Perfectly. Just a little tired."

"Even after your little nap?" He questioned.

"Yes, even after my little nap." Hermione confirmed, slightly annoyed at his closeness and his questioning, "Why does it matter if I'm still tired or not?"

"Hermione, I am just _so _worried about you." Tom Riddle replied, his eyebrows raised and putting extra stress on the word so. What it Hermione, or did he sound sarcastic? _Well, of course he's being sarcastic. _Hermione scolded herself, meeting his eyes for a brief moment,

"Are you?" She asked. His eyes practically glittered as he gazed down at her,

"Yes." The word slipped from his mouth like a caress, a chilling smile touching his perfect lips. Everything seemed to be distorted tonight. He leaned even closer; now, Hermione caught a faint whiff of cologne, just enough to make her feel even more dizzy, "I am very concerned. I wouldn't want you to miss tomorrow." He paused, "_You_ wouldn't want you to miss our little outing tomorrow." Hermione was having trouble concentrating; she tried her best to clear her mind, but his scent kept on annoyingly creeping back into her nostrils,

"Why's that?" She whispered. Suddenly, he leaned back, and cold air slapped Hermione in the face in the absence of his warmth. Only then did she realize how close he had been,

"You'll find out tomorrow." He said with a smirk, standing up and looking over at the clock on the mantelpiece of the fireplace, "Oh, look at the time. I think that I shall retire for the night." He said, adjusting his robes, "Goodnight, Miss Blishwick. I will look forward to seeing you in the morning."He said with a smile that seemed to be reserved just for her. Then, his face slipped back into his usual cool mask of perfect politeness. He exited the Common Room, taking no notice of Florence and Lucille even though they practically swooned as they walked past. Hermione sighed, then looked back to the fireplace. Sitting next to it was Nagini, the same cat-like smile still on her face. When it didn't go away, Hermione raised her eyebrows,

"What?" She demanded. Nagini stood up, flouncing over to her,

"Come on, we need to _talk_." She said insistently, grabbing onto Hermione's arm and pulling her off of the couch. She looked around at the remaining Slytherins around the fire, "Goodnight, boys! I'll see you in the morning. Hermione and I have to get our beauty sleep." She tittered, waving to Malfoy, Rosier, and Wilkes.

"Goodnight." Malfoy replied, glancing up only briefly from his conversation. Nagini looped her arms through Hermione's, pulling her towards the spiral staircase. She paused, looking over at Florence and Lucille with a grin,

"Goodnight, ladies! I'm sure we'll see you in Hogsmeade tomorrow." She said sweetly. Florence looked up, scowling at Nagini, but then looking at Hermione,

"Oh,_ Hermione, _you didn't tell us you have a _date_." She said with sugary sweetness that somehow reminded Hermione of her annoying great-aunt.

"Well, Tom only asked me recently." Hermione replied, smiling a little, feeling smug, "He's such a doll, you know." Florence's smile turned venomous,

"Oh, _we know_, dear." She spat, trying her best to still sound prim and proper.

"Goodnight!" Hermione announced, this time pulling Nagini away.

"Sleep well!" Lucille called after the pair.

As soon as they entered the dormitory, Nagini burst into laughter, collapsing onto her bed, and sprawling out in a most unladylike way. Then again, it wasn't often that Nagini was ladylike,

"That was wonderful!" She declared, "They're such idiots, those girls! They are so much fun to bother, and so easy to fluster."

"That they are!" Hermione agreed, chuckling. She sat down on her bed, waiting for the interrogation to begin. Nagini looked over at Hermione, smirking,

"I _told_ you he was into you." She said slyly.

"Who?" Hermione asked. Nagini rolled her eyes,

"You know who! Tom Riddle!" The irony of the statement was not lost on Hermione. She tried her best to look innocent,

"He just asked me very spur of the moment, just as friends. That's all." She insisted. In truth, she wasn't exactly sure why he had asked her at all. Nagini shook her head,

"No. Tom doesn't have friends. He has acquaintances, and he has me." She paused, "And now, he has you."

"I don't think so, Nagini." Hermione insisted.

"Did you see him in the Common Room? I thought he was just going to snog you right then and there!" Hermione scrunched up her nose a little,

"Thank Merlin he didn't." Nagini laughed at this,

"Just promise me you'll have a good time tomorrow on your date."

"It's not a date!" Hermione argued. Nagini grinned again,

"He even called you his date. It's a date." Hermione huffed a little bit,

"Whatever you say, Nagini." She stood up, walking into the bathroom and changing into her nightclothes before returning to her bed. Nagini was busy brushing out her long hair,

"Will you let me paint your face a little tomorrow?" She asked suddenly. Hermione knew that although it appeared to be a question, it wasn't really.

"Fine." Hermione agreed reluctantly. Nagini smiled, flopping down on her bed and pulling up her covers,

"We're going to make you irresistible tomorrow." She declared with a yawn.

"If you say so." Hermione said, grabbing her wand and nonverbally putting out the lights, "Goodnight, Nagini."

"Goodnight, Hermione." Nagini replied.

Shortly after falling asleep, Hermione woke up again, her chest heaving. Another nightmare. She sighed, trying to calm down, and looked over at Nagini's bed.

It was empty.

She then looked at the clock: 12:15 AM.

Then, slowly, Hermione got out of bed.

**Author's Note: Well, what do you think? Is Tom up to something sinister with his Hogsmeade plans?**

**Thank you so much for all of the reviews and feedback that I have been getting lately. I very much appreciate it! A special thanks to Nuna Hatem, who has stuck with this story for a while, and FalconLux, who has taken the time to review almost every chapter. Also, thanks to onesmartcookie78 for reading. I might add that they have a really good story that you can find here on their profile, called Only the Good are Weak. I've been following it, and I really enjoy it. **

**Let me know what you think of the chapter, and, as always, Cheers!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Nagini?" Hermione whispered as she gently closed the door to the dormitory. It was 12:15 in the morning, and not a soul stirred on the staircase. She quietly crept down the staircase, peeking around the corner to gaze into the Common Room. It was completely empty. Hermione then turned and began to ascend the staircase, passing by her dorm and making her way to the very top, where the door to the Head Boy's room was. Holding her breath, Hermione pressed her ear to the door. Again, nothing. The room was as silent as a tomb.

Hermione huffed a little, frustrated. Where else could Nagini have gone at this time of night? The bathroom was empty, so that possibility was out, the Common Room was empty, Tom Riddle was asleep. . . there was only one other possibility. Hermione looked quickly around, making sure that nobody was around, then walked back down the staircase a few steps, stopping at the door to the boy's dormitories. Oh, this was so embarrassing. If she got caught. . . well, that would be the most terrible story of her life.

Hermione eased the door open, peering inside. Close to the door, Alphard Black was peacefully asleep. Funny, how innocent he looked. Fighting the urge to chuckle, Hermione looked around the rest of the room, then felt her blood run cold.

The other beds were empty.

Lestrange, Avery, Rosier, Malfoy, and Wilkes were all gone. Nagini was gone. Tom Riddle might be gone: there was only one place that all of them could have gone, and Hermione didn't even want to think about the possibility, but she had to. It was a meeting; a meeting of Voldemort's first followers. There was no other sound explanation for why so many students would be gone at 12:15 in the morning.

Hermione backed out of the room and closed the door as gently as she could. She continued down the staircase, stopping briefly at her door, but shook her head, continuing down to the Common Room and settling down in an armchair. There was no way she could sleep now; too much to think about.

And, of course, there was the small chance that she would catch them returning from wherever their meeting was held. Knowing Tom Riddle, however, this was a very small chance indeed. He would not be so careless to be caught in such a way. Hermine drew her knees up to her chest in the armchair, her mind running a million miles an hour. So, it appeared that Tom Riddle already had a group of followers. Why? What could he hope to accomplish in while still in school? Well, there were many things. Hogwarts was a very strong and mysterious place.

"Hermione?" Hermione jumped at the sound of the voice, pulled abruptly out of her thoughts. She turned her head to see Alphard Black walking towards her, still blinking sleep out of his eyes.

"Alphard." Hermione said, using his first name since he had chosen to use hers. The name felt nice on her lips; like a friend's. _Like a friend that nearly physically abused you. . . _Hermione coldly reminded herself. Alphard Black walked a couple steps closer,

"Mind if I sit?" He asked. Hermione gestured to the empty armchair next to her,

"Sure." She replied. He sat down, rubbing his eyes a little bit and yawning before looking over at her,

"What are you doing up so late?" He asked casually. She looked over at him,

"I could ask you the same question, you know." She responded carefully. He raised his eyebrows, smirking a little,

"I thought I heard a little mouse wandering around." He teased.

"A mouse, huh?" Hermione asked, shaking her head and smiling just a little, "Well, not exactly. I couldn't sleep."

"I see. And not being able to sleep meant you had to sneak into the Boy's Dormitories, right? Maybe looking for a little something to help you sleep?" He winked suggestively.

"Alphard!" Hermione said, appalled, "No, that's not it at all!"

"Tom Riddle doesn't sleep in those dormitories, you know. If you're looking for him, you'll have to scamper on up to the Head Boy apartment. A bit more privacy too, you know." Alphard Black continued teasingly, "Of course, that's fine with me if you don't want to go all the way up there. Sneak into my dormitory anytime you want; you're easy enough on the eyes." He said with a wolfish grin. Hermione scoffed,

"Alphard Black, you are hopeless." She declared, not knowing what else to say. He leaned a little closer to her,

"But you wouldn't want me any other way, darling." He said, then leaned back in the armchair. Hermione chuckled,

"If you say so." She countered. He closed his eyes,

"I do say so." He replied, then grew quiet for a long moment. Suddenly, his eyes popped open, "Hermione. . . about what happened that day in the classroom. . . I still can't stop thinking about it. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Hermione looked over at him, her eyebrows slightly raised. He looked so much like Sirius that it brought a pang in her chest. Just by looking in his eyes, she could tell that he was genuine. Genuine, or a really good actor,

"It's alright. I know that you were just worried."

"It's not alright. I let my temper get out of control. I swear it won't happen again." He said with a serious look. Hermione nodded,

"Okay." She responded simply. It seemed to be enough. They fell into silence for a few more moments,

"Tom Riddle, huh?" Black asked suddenly.

"What about him?" Hermione replied, confused.

"Out of all of the male population of Hogwarts, Tom Riddle is the guy I would least expect you to accompany to Hogsmeade tomorrow." He said, shrugging.

"Why's that?" Hermione asked carefully, knowing that she was moving into dangerous territory. She watched Black's jaw tense a little bit as he pondered his response,

"We've already been through this, Hermione. Tom Riddle is a very strange bloke, surrounded by strange friends and strange occurrences that cannot be fully explained. Ever." He paused, "Like, for example, the fact that half of the male population of Slytherin is missing from their beds at the moment. I cannot prove that Tom Riddle is gone as well, since his room is sealed, but I would be willing to bet that if you were to go into his room, he would not be there." He locked eyes with Hermione, "And, I would be willing to bet that Nagini is not in her bed either." Hermione sighed after a moment,

"You'd win some money with that last one." She admitted, "I just-" Black put up his hand to stop her,

"No, you don't have to go on. It isn't any of my business." He assured her, "I know that you and Nagini are friends, and that the rest of the gang is really nice to you. I've never seen Malfoy help anyone out. Ever. Not until he got you that bread when you felt faint last night. I've also never seen Wilkes voluntarily enter into a conversation for more than a few sentences."

"Really?" Hermione asked timidly, feeling the slightest bit flattered in spite of herself. Alphard Black offered her a reassuring smile,

"Really." He replied warmly, "And hey, if you're into the whole mysterious-for-no-damn-reason, I-might-be-nice-but-I-also-might-hex-you-into-the- next-century type of guy, Tom Riddle might be just the guy." He said with a teasing smile. Hermione's first impulse was, of course, to assure Alphard Black that she was_ not_ romantically interested in Tom Riddle, but then how in Merlin's name would she be able to explain her interest in the man otherwise? No, romantically interested might just be the best cover-up at the moment. Her second impulse was to say that she hoped that Tom Riddle could indeed hex her into the next century. It would be close enough to her time, and all she wanted at the moment was to go home. Hermione could not help but laugh along with him,

"Okay, Alphard. That sounds like just my type of guy." Hermione said playfully. Alphard put a hand to his heart in a dramatic fashion,

"Oh, how I wish it was I whom you considered your type!" He said with theatrical exaggeration. Hermione couldn't help but snicker,

"Oh, stop!" She said, hitting him on the arm. He grinned,

"No, really. I am grieved." He assured her with a yawn.

"Sure you are." Hermione replied sarcastically, and yawned as well. Alphard Black smiled, standing up and offering her a hand to help her out of the chair,

"Well, I think it's time we both get back to bed." He said. Hermione accepted his hand and stood up as well, facing him,

"Yeah, I think I can sleep now." She replied. He turned and they both walked up the staircase, stopping when they got to the door leading into Hermione's dormitory.

"I enjoyed your late night company." Alphard Black said with a smile. Only then did Hermione replied that he had placed his hand gently on her shoulder, "And if you ever need anything, anything at all, you can come to me. Always." For some inexplicable reason, Hermione felt the urge to cry. No one had shown such kindness towards her as genuine as Alphard's in such a very long time.

"I will. Thank you." She said sincerely. Then, Alphard grabbed her hand and squeezed it,

"Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Alphard." Hermione replied with a smile. Then, they both went their separate ways.

* ' * ' *

"Hermione, dearest, wake up!"

Hermione groaned, turning over in her bed to look at the clock on her nightstand. 8:00 AM, Saturday. Hogsmeade day. She sat up, yawning and stretching, but still feeling a strong urge to go back to sleep. Clearly, late night excursions did not agree with her.

"Good morning." Hermione said lazily, looking over at the girl that woke her up. Of course, Nagini was perched on the side of her bed with a wide smile.

"Sleep well?" Nagini questioned. Hermione shrugged,

"Like a rock." She replied, "You?"

"Same. I was out cold all night." Nagini said, standing up off of the edge of Hermione's bed. Of course, it was a lie. Wherever Nagini went at night, she clearly did not want Hermione to know, "I needed my beauty sleep, like I said last night. So did you. Come on, let's get you ready for your date with Tom."

"Nagini!" Hermione exclaimed, exasperated.

"It IS a date, Hermione. At least try to have a good time. Promise?" Nagini begged, poking her bottom lip out a little bit. Hermione chuckled,

"Fine, I promise. But only if you stop making that utterly ridiculous face." Nagini quickly returned her lips to a pronounced smirk,

"Gladly." She paused, "So, unfortunately, we still have to wear drab Hogwarts robes, but that doesn't mean your hair and makeup can't be utterly awe-inspiring." She winked, "Go get a shower, and I'll do it for you." She commanded. Hermione stood up and saluted, walking over to her wardrobe to grab her clothing. Nagini was thinking, biting her lip a little, "Yes, we'll try red lipstick. It's all the rage at the moment." She declared. Hermione raised her eyebrows,

"Do I get a choice in the matter?" She asked.

"No." Nagini replied, grinning and shoving her into the bathroom, "Now hurry up!"

* ' * ' *

"Nagini, Blishwick!" Avery exclaimed with a bright smile, looking both of the girls over for a moment, "You look absolutely wonderful!" He complimented then, putting an irritated look on the faces of Florence and Lucille. The two girls seemed to be waiting for someone near the door leading out of the Common Room.

"Thanks, Avery." Hermione replied, smiling back at the boy. Her heart was fluttering and her stomach felt as if it had been filled with butterflies. Despite her best efforts not to be, Hermione was incredibly nervous about her so-called "date." Even though she refused to call it such a thing, Nagini kept on insisting that a date it was, and Florence and Lucille's irritated manner did nothing to ease her nervousness. Partly, Hermione was nervous in general, since she had never been too good with the whole dating thing, but this was Tom Riddle, AKA Lord Voldemort that she was dealing with here, and he never seemed to do anything without something else up his sleeve. Usually, this something else was never a good thing.

Of course, Hermione was scheming as well, so her and Tom Riddle could be considered birds of a feather. Hermione pushed the thought out of her head as quickly as it came.

"I have to agree with half of Avery's statement." Hermione jumped as Tom Riddle's voice appeared in her ear. She turned to look at him,

"Hello to you too." She replied, slightly irritated, "And only half?"

"Only half. The half about you, of course." Tom responded with a smirk. Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes; really, the cheesy romantics did not suit him, although Lucille Parkinson would probably be swooning at the moment.

"Very clever, Tom." Hermione answered flatly.

"You wound me, Hermione. I was simply trying to deliver a compliment. Is that so bad?" Tom asked, and Hermione fought the urge to huff. Of course he would try and make her feel instantly guilty while, at the same time, making her look like a rude expletive.

"You don't have to perform cheesy romantics in front of me." Hermione replied evenly, and Tom actually smiled,

"And thank Merlin for that!" He looked around at the people now gathered at the exit door of the Common Room, "I think everyone is here. Shall we go?" He asked, offering her his arm. Hermione took it and followed him out of the Common Room, trying to ignore the jealous stares that she received. _Blimey, don't they know a mass murderer when they see one? _Hermione thought, then mentally scolded herself. She was the one on his arm, was she not? And this boy, Tom Marvolo Riddle, had not yet become a mass murder. Just a murder. Of course, that was no small consolation, but Hermione could not help but realize that she had begun to distinguish between Voldemort and Tom Riddle. The Voldemort she knew was not this boy. Not yet.

They walked briskly through the crowd of students, pushing past excited third years and sticking close to the usual crew. Nagini walked in between Malfoy and Lestrange, her arms linked through theirs and looking as if she hadn't a care in the world. Avery had on his arm a sixth year named Evelyn Rookwood, a small, quiet girl, though nice enough despite her future family, whom he assured Hermione was "just a dear friend." Much to Hermione's dismay, Florence and Lucille had paired up with none other than Rosier and Wilkes, a surprise to even the two boys, who escorted the chatty girls looking utterly lost. Rosier looked after Nagini longingly as Florence told him some endlessly dull story about her summer spent in France. All-in-all, the party was merry enough, and Hermione found herself smiling at Tom's quick-witted observations about some of the younger students.

"Ah, here we are." Tom observed as the carriages pulled up to the entrance to Hogsmeade. Hermione excitedly climbed out of the carriage first, eager to explore the village and see how it changed. She suddenly thought that, out of politeness, she should wait on Tom. She impatiently tapped her foot as she climbed out of the carriage last.

"Eager to be in my company, are we?" He asked with a smirk as he finally made his way over to her. Hermione pushed him a little playfully; not even Tom Riddle could ruin her mood today.

"You wish, Riddle." She chirped in response as she took his arm once more and began to walk towards the village. He cracked a small smile, looking around in the brisk autumn air,

"Well, we could head to Honeydukes or the pub down the road, I forget its name. I seriously doubt you want to venture over to Madam Puddifoot's, so that possibility is out." He ratted off, looking around at the bustling street.

"No; no Madam Puddifoot's for me, thank you very much." Hermione replied with a laugh, "I hear its positively awful. Want to go to Honeydukes?"

"I was hoping that you would say that." Tom admitted, leading them over to the crowded sweets shop.

"Tom and Hermione, just the people I was hoping to see!" Nagini yelled loudly as they entered the shop. Hermione looked at her questioningly before noticing that Florence and Lucille, along with their dates, were in the shop with Nagini, Lestrange, and Malfoy.

"Having fun, Nagini?" Hermione asked sweetly. Nagini smiled and leaned in as if to tell her some great secret,

"If they don't shut the hell up, I'm going to hex them from here to next week." Nagini muttered through gritted teeth. Hermione could not help but laugh at her friend,

"I seriously doubt anyone would stop you." Hermione replied with a wink, glancing over at the two offenders, who were currently attempting to trap Tom in some kind of conversation.

"I suggest you go and defend your own, Hermione." Nagini said warningly. Hermione shook her head,

"He is not 'my own,' Nagini! Anyway, I think it's amusing. And, I'm fairly certain that Tom can more than handle himself." Hermione replied, beginning to browse through the various sweets. Some delicious looking chocolate caught her eye, and she considered treating herself, "What about you, Nagini? Lestrange _and_ Malfoy?" She asked pointedly, picking up the chocolate and making her way to the counter to pay for it with the allowance that Dippet had given her for the year. Nagini cackled,

"You know me, doll." She said with a grin, but then shook her head, "No, the two were too pathetic to find dates; you turned Lestrange down flat you know, so they resorted the torturous experience of wandering around with me all day. Really, it is most enjoyable to mortify my dear Quidditch co-captain." Hermione tucked the chocolate away in her robed before replying,

"I'd say that you did well for yourself, then." She said with a slight smile. Nagini returned the smile,

"I'd say so too. Well, I'll see you back at Hogwarts, Hermione. You'll have to tell me all about the rest of your day." As usual, there was no question in the request, "Oh Abraxas! I miss you!" Nagini sang out, making her way over to the boy whose face was red with mortification.

"Are you ready to go?" Tom asked. Hermione jumped for the second time that day at the sound of his voice unexpectedly coming so close behind her. Once she recovered from the initial shock, she turned to him, noticing that Florence and Lucille were glaring daggers at her from across the shop.

"Absolutely." Tom suddenly took her warm hand in his own cool one, leading her out of the shop and pretending not to notice the shocked gasps. As soon as they exited the shop, he released Hermione's hand quickly, "My apologies for the display. It was far too tempting."

"I see. Did it ever occur to you that I will now be subjected to the most terrible wrath that Slytherin females have to offer?" Hermione asked sharply. Tom laughed,

"All payback for leaving me to their mercy twice now." He responded cheekily, taking her arm, "Here, I have something to show you that you'll enjoy, I think." He told her, pulling her off towards a side street from the main one. It was completely deserted. Hermione felt a prickle go down her spine at the deserted nature of the road. She looked over to an abandoned house,

"Is that the Shrieking Shack?" She suddenly asked. At Tom's confused expression, Hermione realized her mistake; the Shrieking Shack would not be invented until Lupin came to Hogwarts. She began to mentally panic; had she just ruined the timeline or something?

"The Shrieking Shack?" Suddenly, something dawned on Tom's face, and he became excited, "Did you say the Shrieking Shack?"

"It was a mistake; it's nothing. I was thinking of something somewhere else." Hermione said quickly. Tom exhaled, seeming a little disappointed,

"I was thinking you could tell me what it was. Is it some secret Hogwarts girl's code for something, perhaps?" At Hermione's blank expression, he shook his head, "Never mind. Nagini talks about that place sometimes, and she'll never tell me anything else." Despite Hermione's best efforts to control her alarm and confusion, she looked over at Tom Riddle in surprise,

"Nagini calls that place the Shrieking Shack?" She asked. Tom nodded,

"Yes, and she talks about something called the Whomping Willow. Personally, I think she's just pulling my leg. There's no Whomping Willow near Hogwarts, that's for sure." Tom responded, then looked at Hermione in slight alarm, "Are you alright?"

Hermione's head was spinning; Nagini knew about the Shrieking Shack, and the Whomping Willow, but how? How did Nagini know things about things that did not yet exist in her time? And, on top of it all, she was sharing the future with Tom Marvolo Riddle. What if Nagini knew more then she was telling? What if she knew who Hermione was, or who Voldemort was? What exactly did Nagini know, and how?

"I-I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all." She lied quickly.

"I see." Tom's face slid back into an impassive mask. A lie for a lie.

"Where are we headed?" She slowly asked, seeing nothing on the deserted road before them.

"Oh, you'll see soon enough." Tom assured her, pulling her into a brisker walking speed. Once again, Hermione began to feel a little nervous. Her free hand lightly gripped her wand as they suddenly turned on a small drive and walked up to an older-looking shop, a shop that was not present in Hermione's time, "I figured that you would like this better than anything else. It's my surprise to you, and our little secret, you understand?" Tom said, stopping this and grabbing lightly onto her upper arm.

"Secret?" Hermione echoed softly.

"Yes, secret." Tom replied, then rang the bell on the front door.

The shop door opened to reveal an old, bent-over witch. She looked at Tom and Hermione for a long moment, seeming to take a few moments to notice their presence,

"Ah, welcome Tom!" She greeted in a raspy voice, stepping aside to allow them to enter.

"Thank you, Miss Worthington." He answered politely, stepping into the shop and motioning for Hermione to do the same, "This is my companion, Hermione Blishwick." He introduced. Hermione noticed that he carefully stepped around the word "friend."

"Welcome, Hermione." The old woman said, squinting for a moment at her and then turning her attention back to Tom, "Are you looking for anything particular today?" She asked, "Perhaps you would like to see the rare collection of ancient knives that I found? A very reasonable price, I can assure you." She continued, her eyes shining with greed.

"No ma'am, not today. I simply brought Hermione in to have a look at your books." Tom replied politely. The old witch looked slightly disappointed, but nodded,

"Very well. You know where to find them." With that, she shuffled off into the back of the shop. Hermione took a moment to look around the shop; it was old and smelled of dust, with many shelves lining the walls and objects stuffed everywhere, some not looking entirely legal. She then realized that this was why it was her and Tom's secret.

"This way." Tom said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to the left. They entered another room, this one lined with bookshelves from ceiling to floor, "This is the _real _library. It contains things that Hogwarts deems too. . . sensitive, even for the restricted section." Tom said, walking a little further into the room. Hermione could not help but be awed by the pulses of dark magic radiating from the books. She felt both drawn and repelled to them. The sense in her told her to run away, but curiosity was killing her.

"Now, maybe we can find something in here to help you with that book of Runes." Tom said starting down one aisle. Hermione followed him,

"How did you know about that book?" She asked, confused. Tom laughed,

"Why, Hermione, how would I not know about that book! I found it first, you see, in this shop, and stored it in the remotest section of the library for safe-keeping." He answered, slinging an arm around her shoulder. Hermione could only stare up at him,

"Oh." She replied, nothing else coming to mind.

"Oh indeed." He said, and pushed Hermione's back against the bookshelves, "I never counted on anyone to find it. Of course, I never counted on an individual like you coming to Hogwarts either." Hermione felt nervous as he stood so close to her, in the middle of a dark magic shop, away from civilization. She reached down to grip her wand, only to discover that it was gone.

Tom twirled it in between his fingers, his other hand still grasping Hermione's shoulder.

"Let me go, Tom." She sneered. He smiled, his face very close to hers,

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said loftily, sliding her wand back into her robes, "Really, though, you should be more careful with your wand, Miss Blishwick." He placed his other hand on her waist and she stiffened, her hands itching to hit his perfect face. His grin widened, "Or, I suppose I should say, Miss _Granger_."

**Author's Note: Thank you for all of your feedback recently! I truly appreciate it. After a little bit of delay because of the holiday, here is Chapter 16! I hope that you enjoyed it.**

**Let me know what you think of these latest revelations. What do you think of Nagini's knowledge of the Shrieking Shack? Why do you think Tom knows Hermione's real name? Once again, thanks for reading.**

**Cheers!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

_ Bang._

Tom Riddle was repelled back from Hermione with a loud crack, her wand carefully pointed at him in her quivering hand,

"Who did you just call me?" She demanded through gritted, teeth, trying to keep her voice even and calm, trying not to tip her hand even more than she already had. She had been careless in some place, revealing her true surname in some way. That was the only explanation.

"I called you Miss Granger. Your true name, I believe." Tom Riddle replied, his yew wand in his hand as well, his face passively calm, "What, did you believe that I would not find out your little secret?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hermione shot back, examining the rest of the room while still keeping her eyes on Tom Riddle. Both doors were shut, and probably locked. There were no windows. Unless there was some kind of secret exit, there was no way out of the tiny library. She was trapped.

"Don't you?" Tom countered, taking a step closer to her, "Why did you just attempt to hex me then, Miss Granger?" His wand poked her in the chest. She narrowed her eyes, her own wand pointing at his face, "I would not do that if I were you." Tom added casually, his wand pressing into her skin harder,

"I'll scream." She warned, knowing that the old shop owner was only in the other room. Maybe she could help her.

"Scream all you want. No one will hear you." Tom replied with a smirk. So he had placed a silencing charm on the room. _Well played, Tom Riddle._

"What do you want from me?" Hermione questioned, changing her tactics a little. If she could just make it out of here alive, she could run away from Hogwarts, abandon her efforts, find some way to return to the future and try again. Of course, there was no telling what kind of future she would go back to; had she somehow managed to the change the future already? Would Lord Voldemort be searching for Hermione Granger during the war? She dreaded the possibility.

"What do I want from you? Not much, really." Tom answered, seeming to be thinking for a moment, "I suppose the truth, you could say. Why did you lie about your surname?"

"I did not lie." Hermione retorted. Tom laughed, a rich baritone sound quite unlike his high-pitched laughter from the future.

"My dear Miss Granger, you truly are a terrible liar." He said, his lips still in a smirk. He paused, and Hermione stubbornly refused to reply, "Of course, I cannot entirely blame you for going by a false name."

"Why is that?" Hermione asked, this time actually a little curious.

"You are a mudblood." Tom stated flatly, "And Grindelwald does not like mudbloods."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hermione demanded, scowling. The nerve of this boy, to call her such a derogatory term was astounding.

"Do not think that I am prejudiced." Tom replied, and Hermione fought the urge to snort at his pained expression. Tom Riddle should have grown up to be an actor, not a dark lord, "I am simply stating a fact. That is why you are here, am I correct?" Hermione suddenly realized that he had unknowingly offered her a chance to create an actually plausible background story without even realizing it.

"Yes, that is why I am here." She confirmed, "I am hiding from Grindelwald."

"Then why did you lie?" He asked once again, his dark eyes boring into her own. She could feel him try to use Legilimency, but managed to block out the weak attempt. It was clear that, thankfully, he still needed the spell.

"It would be better if no one knew that I was in hiding. That way, no one could accidentally disclose my true identity." Hermione said, keeping her own gaze on his eyes, trying to truly be convincing with this lie. It could be her only chance, "It had to be a secret."

"We all have our secrets." Tom said quietly, his gaze far-off.

"You have a secret." Hermione said, her voice barely above a whisper. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed. She felt as if she was walking on a frozen pond; any moment, the ice could crack and she could fall through. She had to tread carefully here.

"Do I?" Tom asked, looking back at her again.

"You do." Hermione confirmed, "A part of you that you do not want anyone to know, buried deep." She added. Tom Riddle did not reply; he seemed to be waiting for her to go on, to say more. She was not foolish as to reveal all of her knowledge, but she needed leverage over him. Something to stop him from telling her secret, "You've done things that you don't want anyone to know about. You never say what you mean, not entirely. I could talk to you for hours, and still not know you, Tom Marvolo Riddle." He studied her face for a moment, his own face still devoid of any emotion.

"How can you be sure?" He finally asked. Clearly, he was wondering where his deception was inefficient. Hermione sighed,

"Your eyes. They never match your expressions. You're never truly happy, or truly sad." Hermione paused, "Just truly angry, occasionally." It slipped out before she could stop it. They fell into an uncomfortable silence, Hermione looking down at the ground. Finally, she mustered up enough courage to look into his eyes. They were, as usual, cold and impassive.

"You're right." He said softly, almost sadly. Hermione looked at him, shocked.

"I am?" She asked incredulously.

"You are." He paused, placing his wand back into his robes, "Displaying emotions can make you weak; caring makes you weak. It gives your enemy ammunition. The more you care about, the more you have to lose." Hermione just stared at him, nearly seeing Harry Potter looking back at her for one brief moment.

"But not caring about anything, or anyone. . . a life like that is not worth living, because what do you have to live for?"

"It isn't worth the pain." Tom said in a clipped tone.

"Without a little pain, you wouldn't be able to recognize happiness." Hermione pointed out, and Tom paused, as if seriously considering her point. He knitted his eyebrows, thinking hard, "Some things you can't intellectualize, Tom. Believe me, I wish that everything made logical sense as well. But sometimes, things just don't, but those things that don't make sense seem to make our lives that much better." Hermione fell into silence, giving him time to think, to consider. Finally, he shook his head,

"You asked what there was to live for without caring for anyone. With caring for someone, what do we have to live for? Betrayal and pain in exchange for a brief few moments of happiness." Tom Riddle answered, looking right into her eyes, "But without those feelings, what do we have to live for? The future, Miss Granger. It has to be better than this."

* ' * ' *

"So, how was it?" Nagini demanded that night as she sat on the other end of Hermione's bed, looking at her with eager excitement.

"Hmm?" Hermione asked, seeming to jerk out of a trance. She looked at the girl, wondering what had just been said to her. Nagini rolled her eyes,

"Your date with Tom." She said, loudly and over-pronouncing each syllable, "How was it?" She leaned forward a little, eager for Hermione's response.

"Oh." Hermione said mildly, "Well, it was. . . nice." Nagini rolled her eyes,

"Come on, Hermione! You've go to give me _something_ to go on here. I just spent a day in the company of four dull boys and two silly bints. Give me something good to think about so that I may rest the night in peace." She demanded dramatically. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle the slightest bit. She thought for a moment before answering,

"Well, after we left Honeydukes, we went on a walk. Then, we walked into an old antique book store and browsed for a while, talking a little as well. Then, we came back to the castle." Hermione summarized her day shortly, leaving out the exact details and telling Nagini the basic truth. Tom had said, after all, that their visit to the store was to be their secret. Nagini, however, did not look impressed,

"Are you kidding me? Did he kiss you goodnight?" She demanded.

"No." Hermione replied, thinking back to their departure. After their long conversation in the mysterious dark magic store, her and Tom had walked back to the carriages in silence, though not uncomfortable. They had a carriage to themselves, and barely spoke the entire way back to the castle. Tom escorted her back to the Slytherin Common Room, and told her goodnight before nodding to her and departing to his room, looking in deep thought, or in some kind of daze, just as Hermione felt.

"No?!" Nagini shook her head, "And here I thought that Tom was charming. I'm going to _kill_ him; what kind of date was that?" Hermione could not help but smile triumphantly,

"Maybe it wasn't a date." Nagini crossed her arms,

"Oh, so you're back to that now, are you?" She thought for a moment, "No, it was definitely a date. Tom is always charming, so you must have flustered him if he acted so strangely."

"You might as well let it go, Nagini." Hermione said with a laugh.

"Hell no! I'm never letting this go until you realize that you and Tom are hopelessly in love with each other, even if you don't realize it." Nagini proclaimed, smiling. Hermione shook her head,

"Nagini, somehow I feel that Tom will not ever be hopelessly in love with anyone." She replied, if not a little sadly. Nagini's head looked at the green sheets on the bed for a long minute,

"Yes, yes. You're right, I am afraid. Tom will never be in love with anyone." She said very quietly, with gravity. Suddenly, her head looked back up and she was grinning again, "But that doesn't mean that you can't get in a good snog, you know."

"Nagini!" Hermione groaned, exasperated. Nagini laughed, the sound like tinkling bells,

"You know that it is true! We will make it happen yet."

"We?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, we." Nagini confirmed.

"Do I get any choice in the matter?" Hermione said, smiling a little.

"Of course not." Nagini replied, the cat-like grin still plastered on her face. The room fell into comfortable silence. Florence and Lucille were somewhere else in the Slytherin dormitories at the moment, so the room was pleasant.

"And how was your Hogsmeade visit?" Hermione finally asked. Nagini shook her head,

"Awful. I had to listen to Florence and Lucille complain the entire time, Avery flirt with his little girlfriend- oh, he's denying it, but I know that he likes her- and Lestrange sulked the whole time because I am not you and Malfoy did as well because I completely mortify him." She paused, "Although, it is a little fun to mortify him." She admitted thoughtfully.

"I thought as much." Hermione replied, "Well, it could have been worse."

"Worse? How?" Nagini asked.

"Florence and Lucille could have been your dates." Hermione responded cheekily. Nagini groaned at the thought,

"I would rather throw myself into the lake. Giant squids and all. Even they would make better company than those daft imbeciles." Hermione chuckled,

"You're probably right. You know, I don't think that they like me very much."

"Really? I would have never known." Nagini shot back sarcastically, "They don't like anyone very much, Hermione. Unless if it's Tom, of course. I don't know why he puts up with them; they clearly annoy him to no end. I suspect he likes the attention, even though he refuses to admit it."

"Probably." Hermione agreed, yawning and looking over at the clock. 11:30 PM.

"Yeah, I'm sleepy too." Nagini nodded, standing up and walking over to her own bed, "We'll talk some more in the morning, though. It has been a long day."

"It has." Hermione agreed, getting under the covers of her bed and laying down, "I'll get the lights." She grabbed her wand and cast a nonverbal _nox_. The room fell into darkness.

"Oh, before I forget to tell you," Nagini began, yawning, "Slytherin has a little Halloween party every year in the Common Room after dinner. We play some games, play some harmless pranks on each other. . . it's great fun."

"Sounds fun." Hermione answered genuinely. She was surprised that Fred and George Weasley never seized the opportunity for a good party in her time.

"Anyway, you should come. It will be Tuesday, on Halloween, after dinner." Nagini finished. Hermione heard some rustling of sheets and assumed that Nagini was turning over.

"Yeah, I'll be there." She assured her friend.

"Good." Hermione could almost hear the smirk in Nagini's voice, "Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Nagini." Hermione replied, closing her eyes. Nagini was right; it was a long day. She found her thoughts wandering to Tom Riddle just before she fell asleep.

* ' * ' *

Hermione sat up in the dark dormitory, looking around. The clock read 12:30 AM.

There was no Nagini in the bed next to her.

Deciding to try one more time to discover her friend's location. Hermione slipped her feet into her slippers and grabbed her wand, standing up and opening the door to the staircase.

The hall was silent as the began to descend the stairs.

Well, almost silent.

If she listened very closely, she could decipher some faint murmurings coming from down the stairs in the direction of the Common Room. Her heart pounding in her ears, Hermione gripped her wand tightly, walking down the stairs slowly and carefully. This could be it; the moment she had been searching for for several nights now.

Hermione finally reached the last step of the spiral staircase. Taking a deep breath, she stepped around the corner into the Common Room. She gasped in shock.

Nagini and Abraxas Malfoy quickly broke their lip's contact, jerking away from each other, completely embarrassed. If Hermione had expected anything, this clearly was not it. Malfoy cleared his throat, looking down at the ground and not saying anything, his normally pale cheeks quite red. Nagini laughed a little nervously, walking over to Hermione,

"Hello, Hermione. Nice night." She said, attempting to appear confident, but her cheeks also a little red. Hermione could not help but smirk,

"And you accuse _me_ of snogging." Hermione teased lightly. Nagini relaxed a little,

"Of course I do." She asserted. She dropped her voice, "You won't. . . tell anyone, will you? You know I don't give a damn, but Abraxas. . . his position in his father's company might be jeopardized if he finds out that he's with a Russian." She pleaded quietly, her eyes wide and expressive.

"You don't have to worry about anything. I won't tell anyone, I promise." Hermione assured her, nodding her head. Nagini smiled,

"Thanks. You're a real friend." She looked back at Abraxas. Hermione, understanding her cue, smiled,

"Well, I'm going to head back to bed, now that I know where you've been sneaking off to at night." Nagini blushed a little. Hermione laughed, "I'll see you tomorrow, Nagini. Goodnight, you two." She said, addressing this to both Nagini, who smiled, and Malfoy, who didn't even acknowledge her and kept his eyes fixated on the ground.

"Goodnight, Hermione." Nagini said for the second time that night.

Hermione returned to her bed, smiling a little to herself. So Nagini and Malfoy did not hate each other after all. . . it was quite funny, and sort of cute. She would never be able to look at their constant nagging the same way again.

Still smiling to herself, Hermione fell asleep.

* ' * ' *

"I trust there was a good explanation for that?" Abraxas Malfoy asked crisply, looking at Nagini . Nagini sighed,

"Yes, there was. I'm sorry, Abraxas. I won't do it again. It's just. . . Hermione can't know." She said, sitting down on one of the couches and looking quite upset. Malfoy could not help but feel a little sorry for her; an unusual emotion, to say the least.

"It's okay." He found himself saying; if it was forgiveness for kissing him or reassuring her, he could not say. Maybe it was both.

"Hermione will keep her word, though. She will not say anything." Nagini asserted, seeming to regain herself a little bit, "It is a good excuse. Your reputation will not be harmed." She promised wearily, standing up and not looking at him.

"That is good." Malfoy replied, not offering much for her to go on, but she knew him well enough to know that he was as confused as she was, "We should be going." He added, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes, you're right." Nagini answered. At least someone was thinking clearly for the both of them. As they set off up the staircase, Malfoy found his thoughts drifting to the previous minutes in which the actions that he would have called disgusting were not altogether unpleasant.

Nagini, on the other hand, appeared sad. She wished so desperately that she had never gotten into this, never taken the bait. Now, she was trapped.

"Malfoy, Nagini." Tom Riddle greeted them solemnly, "Come in."

_Trapped indeed_. Nagini thought as she entered the room, hearing the door shut firmly behind them. She didn't want it to be like this, for things to go this way. All she wanted was to be a part of something, to feel like she was making the world a better place. Instead, she was caught in a web that she did not fully understand.

Trapped, with no way out.

**Author's Note: This chapter took me quite some time, despite being shorter than the usual chapter. What do you think about Tom and Hermione's conversations? What about Nagini's actions?**

**I appreciate all of the feedback- both in reviews and private messages- that I have been getting of late. Truly, it helps inspire me and keep me going. Thank you so much!**

**Leave a review if you have the time, and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Cheers!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"Boo!" Several first years exclaimed, jumping out in front of Hermione and shooting harmless little red sparks at her before cackling and dashing away. Hermione had never been one for Halloween ever since her experience with the troll in the dungeon her first year, and she clucked her tongue and shook her head.

"They are getting exceedingly irritating." Tom Riddle agreed, looking after the first years for a moment. Then, a smile came to his face and he pulled out his wand, nonverbally sending six transfigured bats after the group of still laughing kids. Their laughs suddenly turned to shrieks and they ran faster than Hermione ever thought possible.

"Oh Tom, you're so good with the children." Nagini said sarcastically, rolling her eyes a little, "Such a wonderful Head Boy." Tom turned to the girl, smirking,

"Why, thank you, Nagini. You are too kind." He turned away from her as she made a face behind his back and the three continued their walk to Defense Against the Dark Arts in relative silence. The halls of Hogwarts were decorated with a variety of Halloween-inspired decorations, including floating jack-o-lanterns and fake spider webs. The ghosts of Hogwarts were also making more of an appearance than usual, probably to add to the spooky feel of the old castle.

"You two go on to class. I will catch up with you in a moment." Tom Riddle said suddenly, stopping and beginning to turn around the other direction.

"Where are you going?" Nagini asked. Tom rolled his eyes,

"I forgot my quill, and I am going back to my quarters to fetch it, if that's alright with you." Nagini scoffed,

"It was just a question. See you in Merrythought's." She replied, grabbing onto Hermione's arm and pulling her in the direction of their classroom, "Come on, let's go."

"Actually, I think I have to use the ladies room before class." Hermione lied quickly. Nagini huffed,

"Fine, make me walk into class looking like I have no friends." She put on dramatically. Hermione hit her lightly on the arm,

"Oh, you'll be fine." She assured Nagini, "I won't be long." She added before turning left and walking in the direction of the restrooms. Hermione carefully waited for a long moment, hoping that Nagini had moved on. She dashed back down the hallway and turned left, searching for Tom Riddle's lean figure in the mass of students walking down the corridor.

As the number of students began to thin out, Hermione sighed, discouraged. _Maybe I should just go to class. _She told herself. After all, did she really even want to know what Tom was up to? She mentally scolded herself; of course she wanted to know what Tom was up to! Whatever it was, it was not simply fetching a quill.

Suddenly, Hermione caught sight of Tom Riddle's impossibly dark hair glinting in the sunlight as he passed a window. Careful to hug the wall and stay relatively out of sight, Hermione hastened to catch up with him as he turned the corner, walking down a hallway the complete opposite direction of the Slytherin Common Room. The corridor descended sharply, possibly leading to some other part of the dungeons. Hermione gripped her wand and casted a nonverbal disillusionment charm over herself, immediately blending in with the ancient stone.

Tom turned to the right, entering an abandoned room with a high vaulted ceiling, looking around for something, or someone. Hermione stopped in the large archway that served as the doorway, not daring to venture any further into the room.

Much to her surprise, a silvery, translucent being floated delicately through the wall on the far end of the room and stopped before Tom Riddle, the beautiful, usually sad Grey Lady smiling at the future dark lord,

"Tom Riddle. I was hoping that you would come." She greeted in a light, airy voice, some kind of strange blush tinging her transparent cheeks.

"Helena, I would not miss it for the world. Your company is one I seek more than almost any other soul in Hogwarts." Tom replied, inclining his head a little bit and offering the ghost a small, seemingly accidental smile. Even Hermione felt her heart soften a little. She rebuked the thought as soon as it same; really, it was ridiculous. No one was immune to Tom Riddle's charms, not even the dead, "You're one of the only beings who. . . understands me, truly. The only one who really wants to be around me." He admitted carefully, seeming embarrassed, but as usual, his eyes did not match his expression.

Helena Ravenclaw, however, did not seem to notice or care.

"Oh Tom, you know that that cannot possibly be true! I am sure that many students would kill for your company." She flattered him quickly. Hermione could not help but note the irony in her statement, "I am only glad that you choose to spend your time with me, listening to my stories."

"Your stories are fascinating. I would choose to do nothing but listen to them." He assured her with a nod, "However, as you know, I do not have much time, since class begins in ten minutes."

"Yes, yes, I would not want to keep you." Helena agreed, floating a little closer to the ground, apparently deep in thought, "I am afraid, though, that there is not much more story to tell, for I am nearing the end of my life's tale." She admitted sadly, her gaze distant and far-off, "I was hiding out in the forests of Albania, such a beautiful place. The perfect location to bury my guilt for stealing my mother's diadem. I ran away to there, and I believed that I was safe there forever. But then, a face that I did not expect appeared there; the face of the ghost now known as the Bloody Baron. He was desperately in love with me, but I would not give up the diadem to return with him. He stabbed me, and then he stabbed himself." She broke off, her face impossibly sad.

"He killed you?" Tom asked in his most gentle voice.

"Yes." Helena whispered.

The room was so silent, Hermione covered her face to mask the sound of her breathing, just in case.

"I am sorry." Tom Riddle said, lowering his head, "All of that despair, all of that sadness, just because of that wicked diadem." Helena nodded, "It corrupted you, and it corrupted him. It corrupted your mother, that desperate thirst for knowledge. It is a terrible object." Tom said in a low, enchanting voice.

"Y-yes, you're right." Helena agreed with a sniffle.

"It is in the forest until this day, correct?" He questioned, to which she replied with a nod, "That is a shameful thing, Helena. What happens when some innocent soul comes across it? Are they to be doomed to the same miserable fate?" Tom suddenly looked right at the doorway, and Hermione could swear that his eyes met hers, "What is there's not someone else who knows where it is?" He added softly.

He saw her. Tom Riddle knew that Hermione Granger was in the doorway. Hermione had no idea how he knew, but he knew. As soon as his gaze left her, she slipped back out of the room, breaking into a run, hoping to escape back to Merrythought's classroom before it was too late. She rounded the corner and removed the disillusionment charm, forcing herself to slow back down to a normal pace.

"Miss Granger." Hermione stopped abruptly at the sound of Tom Riddle's voice. She could hear each of his individual footfalls as she approached her with agonizing slowness.

"Tom. I do not think it wise to call me that name in the open, you know." She answered, trying to remove the trembling from her voice and sound sure of herself.

"Oh, I know, Miss Granger." He responded lazily, circling around her to stand in front of her, looking at her in the eyes, "It might not also be wise to follow me around when I am having a private conversation, yes?" Hermione sighed; there was no denying that she was spying on him, and now he was threatening her with her own name. Really, it was annoying,

"Alright, so I got a little curious and decided to see where you were sneaking off to. No harm done." She replied. Looking into his eyes, she knew that her reply was not good enough, "And honestly, I think that that's a really good thing that you're doing." She added quickly.

"What is?" Tom Riddle asked, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Listening to Helena Ravenclaw. I mean, she's lived with guilt her entire afterlife and in the shadow of her mother her entire life. She needs someone to listen to her for once." Hermione explained slowly, finding that the explanation was not entirely a lie.

"I will not allow you to think me a saint, Miss Granger." Tom Riddle said seriously, looking straight at Hermione's face, "I listen to Helena's girlish antics because she knows the location of something that I desire. Nothing more."

Hermione stared at the man in front of her in shock. Was Tom Riddle just. . . honest with her?

"Oh." She replied clumsily.

"I am sorry to disappoint." He said acidly before turning sharply on his heel and stalking off. Hermione stared after him with even more shock.

"Tom!" She exclaimed suddenly, dashing after him. He slowed down and looked at her,

"Yes?" He asked with exaggerated patience.

"You're just talking to Helena to get the diadem?" Hermione asked, just for the sake of complete clarification, and complete honesty.

"Indeed. You are correct in your assertion." He replied coolly.

"Why?" Hermione continued, deciding to push her luck just the slightest bit. Tom's eyes hardened,

"Why is none of your concern, Hermione." He snapped, putting extra emphasis on the use of her first name. Hermione sighed, slightly disappointed. Then, an idea came into her head. A crazy idea, but not quite as crazy as her decision to travel back in time.

"I would like to help you find it." Hermione said quickly, looking into his eyes to gauge his response. Mild surprise came across his features, then his face hardened.

"Unless you have some very important information that is not in my arsenal of information already, there is no benefit in accepting your aid." He answered coldly. Hermione quickly thought, trying desperately to find some piece of useful information. Voldemort spent a great deal of time hunting for the diadem in Albania in the future, meaning that Helena never did tell him the exact location. Hermione, on the other hand, knew the name of the small forest where the tree that housed the diadem grew.

"I know where it is." She whispered. Tom rolled his eyes,

"So do I. In Albania."

"No, I know which forest it is in." Hermione corrected, a little irritated with his sarcasm. All disinterested annoyance disappeared from Tom's face,

"You do?" He asked in disbelief, "Why do you want to help me, then?"

"It requires complicated dark magic to retrieve, a skill in which I am not well-versed." Hermione admitted. Tom's eyes flashed,

"And you assume that I am?" He challenged.

"Yes." Hermione answered simply.

"And why would you assume that I know dark magic?" He questioned further.

"You took me into a dark magic bookstore, Tom. I think that speaks for itself." Tom nodded a single time, accepting her point and explanation. It did make perfect sense, "I just want one thing in return for helping you." Hermione continued carefully. Tom turned his undivided attention to her,

"What would that be?" He asked.

"I want to wear the diadem, just once."

"Why?" Tom asked suddenly, "Is there a problem that you cannot solve?"

"Why is none of your concern." Hermione snapped, mimicking his tone from earlier, "I will tell you the exact location of the diadem if you allow me to wear it but once. I think that that is a fair trade." Tom studied her face for a long moment before extending his hand,

"Deal." He said. She shook his hand, but as she tried to draw it back, he smirked and gripped her hand tighter, pulling her close enough to whisper in her ear, "But if you try to cross me, Hermione Granger, you will suffer the consequences. Understand?" He tightened his grip.

"Understood." Hermione replied coolly, refusing to give into the pain that he was causing her hand. He drew back and took her left hand more delicately, pulling her in the direction of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Tom, what are you doing?" She demanded. He looked back at her, smiling innocently,

"Nothing." He assured her and tightened his grip. They suddenly came upon Nagini waiting for them a corridor away from their classroom.

"Oh, there you two are. I knew that those were puny excuses." She announced, grinning at their clasped hands. Tom merely shrugged, but Hermione quickly shook her head,

"Nagini, I-"

"No, Hermione, it's okay. You can give me details later." Nagini interrupted her, "Now let's go, before we're late to class."

Hermione groaned, trying to ignore Tom's triumphant smirk and dreading the interrogation sessions that she would receive from Nagini later.

* ' * ' *

"Come on, Hermione, we're going to be late!" Nagini called from the dormitory. Hermione quickly exited the bathroom, attempting to pull up the usual low-cut costume that she borrowed from Nagini.

"Nagini, do you have anything more modest?" She asked, looking down at the silky, ironically white dress that she had on.

"Of course not. Don't you know that Halloween is a free pass for clothing that would make our mothers blush?" Nagini replied, carefully using hair pins to pin two red horns in her hair. She adjusted her curly dark hair and smeared on some red lipstick, turning around to Hermione, "What do you think?" The red dress clung tightly to her fit body and exposed, of course, some daring cleavage. A spiked tail and the red horns completed her costume as the devil.

"You look perfectly indecent." Hermione assured her, and Nagini smiled,

"Good. Here, let me do your hair." Without waiting for Hermione's response, Nagini began to braid Hermione's thick, curly hair with nimble fingers, creating a lovely loose braid that cascaded down her back. She used another hair pin to pin on Hermione's halo. Hermione stood up and fastened on the pair of wings that matched her costume,

"Thank you, my hair looks wonderful." Hermione complimented Nagini's unfailing cosmetic skills.

"I know." Nagini said sassily, smiling at their reflection in the mirror, "Look at us! We're the sexiest Angel and Devil they've ever seen! Come on, let's go." Nagini said almost giddily, eagerly grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her out of the dormitory and down the stairs to the Slytherin Common Room. Hermione was rather impressed with the transformation; all of the tapestries and carpet as been removed to give the look of an eerie medieval castle, complete with a menacing charmed torture device that held a first year who dared to come to the party and a long table filled with Halloween-inspired foods. Hermione was about to say something about the poor first year, but the chains suddenly disappeared and turned him loose unharmed and he scampered off back to his dormitory.

"I have never seen a more devilishly tempting angel." Hermione jumped as Alphard Black whispered seductively in her ear.

"Why, thank you." She said, turning to a smile to him. He smiled as well,

"What do you think?" He asked, spinning around to show her his hunch-backed costume. It was goofy, but well done, matching his personality quite well.

"I think it's brilliant!" Hermione declared. Alphard Black winked,

"I think you're brilliant." He flirted teasingly, "I assume your costume was Nagini's idea? You two make a fine pair."

"You're right, thanks!" Hermione answered, looking around at the party, "So, how do these things usually work?" She asked, a little nervous to tell the truth.

"Oh, we hang out until the younger kids go to sleep, then we have some fun." Alphard said, offering her a wolfish grin, "Come on, I'll get you some punch."

Hermione ate, talked, and laughed with her Slytherin acquaintances for some time until, just as Alphard said, the second, third, and fourth years began to say goodnight, sleepily walking off to bed. Nagini watched them go, then placed herself in the middle of the Common Room,

"So, I have a brilliant idea for this year's game!" She announced loudly. Almost immediately the chatter began to die down and the older members of the Slytherin House turned their attention to Nagini. Apparently her games were usually good, because even Florence and Lucille looked the slightest bit excited about what Nagini had to say, "This year, we will be having a massive scavenger hunt coupled with hide and seek." She announced with a mischievous smile, "Each person who wants to play will write down their name and put it on the fish bowl over there on the table. Then, you will get assigned a meeting location, where you will meet your partner for the game and find a piece of parchment with the first clue. You will have to not only find the next location, but also perform some kind of secret spell or act to retrieve your next clue. All the while, a Seeker will be chosen and will be attempting to tag you with some red sparks. If you get tagged, you're out. I've purchased a wonderful prize for the winner, and I will be the referee, so no cheating." Nagini explained, "Now, put your name in the fishbowl if you want to play and we'll get started. Good luck! Oh, and this will take place throughout the castle, so don't get caught by the professors."

The group eagerly began to write down their names and place the pieces of paper in the fish bowl. Deciding that the game did sound pretty fun, Hermione deposited her name in the fishbowl as well, picking up the piece of parchment that had a tiny note scratched on it: trophy room. The location where she would meet her partner.

Hermione cast a disillusionment charm on herself before exiting the Common Room, heading out into the dark castle to meet her partner and begin the game.

* ' * ' *

"Blishwick." Abraxus Malfoy greeted her, his sleek blonde hair glinting slightly in the dark trophy room.

"You can call me Hermione, you know." Hermione offered timidly. He smiled a little,

"Fine, Hermione. You may call me Abraxus." He replied. Hermione was relieved; she could not say Malfoy without thinking of a certain timid, blonde-headed ferret, "Our first clue is here. I waited until you arrived to read it." He handed her a folded piece of parchment.

_Tickle me to receive a treat, but eating me would be quite a feat. _

Hermione looked at the clue for but a moment, "I expected Nagini to be a bit more clever." She admitted.

"Indeed, however, there is a task we have to complete upon arriving, which I am sure will be more difficult. Come on, let's go." Abraxus replied, opening the door leading out of the trophy room, "We also have to watch out for that Seeker she was talking about." He added as they hugged the walls, making their was down towards the kitchens. They finally arrived at the large portrait of the bowl of fruit. Abraxus reached out, tickling the pear softly. The portrait slung open and they left it open behind them, creeping into the empty kitchen and looking around for their next clue.

"Here it is!" Hermione announced, seeming a large basket with a piece of paper lying in it. When she tried to reach in, however, her hand was repelled. Abraxus studied it for a moment, then rolled his eyes,

"It is very typical Nagini. It's a laundry basket, did you notice?" Before Hermione registered what he was doing, he unbuttoned his white dress shirt, slipping it off to reveal a tight undershirt and surprisingly attractive lean muscle. Hermione quickly looked away. He dropped the shirt in the basket and was then able to retrieve the piece of parchment, "It required an offering of clothes. Silly, really." He handed Hermione the folded clue, "You lead the way."

Hermione nodded, unfolding the clue and studying it for a moment, "The library. We need to go to the restricted section."

"Right, let's go." Abraxus replied, stepping out of the portrait hole first. Suddenly, some red sparks harmlessly grazed his shoulder. He looked up to see a dark figure dashing away. He sighed, "Well, looks like the damn Seeker got me. Guess you'll have to continue alone. Sorry, Hermione."

"That's okay, Abraxus, I had fun." Hermione admitted. He smiled,

"I'll be pulling for you. Good luck!" He clapped her on the shoulder and hurried away in the dark.

Hermione slowly crept out of the portrait and shut it behind her, feeling a prickle go up her spine. She fought the sudden nervousness that came from being alone in the dark castle on Halloween and crept up the stairs towards the library. Once, she passed a pair of Slytherins, but managed to pass unnoticed.

The door creaked slightly as she pushed it open, and Hermione winced at the sound. Hoping that no one noticed, she crept into the library and made her way towards the back. She had just begun to scan the shelved of the Restricted Section when she felt a hard piece of wood rest on her shoulder.

"Got you." Hermione turned slowly,

"Tom Riddle. Of course you would dress up as Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, and of course Nagini would make you the Seeker." She said, exhaling, "You scared me."

"Leroux is a wonderful author, even if he was a muggle." Tom admitted, smiling at her from behind the white mask, "I did not mean to frighten you. I have been following you, you know, even since I tagged Abraxus."

"Why didn't you just tag me earlier?" Hermione questioned, looking around at the dark library. She could barely see Tom Riddle in front of her; the white mask seemed to be floating in an eerie way in the sea of darkness.

"It's much more fun this way." Tom admitted, using his wand to brush a stray piece of hair from her forehead, "You really do make a beautiful angel." He said softly, as if it was an afterthought. Hermione felt her pulse quicken as his fingers reached out to grab her wrist, "You're so tense, relax. It's only a silly game." He assured her with a smirk. Hermione chuckled a little,

"I know, but something about games get my blood pumping. I can be competitive." She admitted. His smirk widened,

"Really? So can I. I love games." Something about the way the sentences left his mouth set a chilling feeling in Hermione's blood. She felt her back hit the bookshelves as he pushed her back, "I always win." He whispered, the white mask floating closer to her face, "Ironic, you know. I can be the Phantom, but you're the Angel of Music."

"I can't sing." Hermione replied breathlessly. His chuckles sent gentle warm gusts of air across her ear as his lips spoke surprisingly close to her ear,

"That doesn't matter." He assured her, his hand traveling from her wrist up her arm to her neck.

"Tom, what are you doing?" Hermione asked, trying to sound brave. He saw easily through her deception and laughed,

"Just playing the game." He drew his lips away from her ear and looked her square in the face, his hand settling behind her neck, "And I always win."

His head suddenly dipped down and his lips gently caressed her own. Hermione started for a moment, but then leaned into him a little, her head spinning. He pulled away slightly, smirking. Then, he kissed her once more.

Hermione thought a million thoughts: she was stupid, she was crazy, she was repulsive, but mainly, she just felt. She felt his body press up against her as she was pushed completely flush against the bookshelves. She felt the empty space as he pulled away, his warm breath tickling her chin as he whispered,

"Gotcha."

**Author's Note: Well, these last few weeks have rendered it impossible for me to write, but I am back now, and hopefully with the moment a lot of you have been waiting for! Let me know how you like the chapter. What do you think Tom's intentions are?**

**Cheers!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Hermione's eyes flew open at the sound of his voice. She immediately thought of the future Voldemort; pale, red eyes, practically no nose, and entirely evil. What she saw at the present, however, was not altogether unpleasant, which worried her greatly; Tom's face was very close to hers, his eyes still dark, a perfectly sculpted nose, a small smirk playing across his handsome mouth.

A mouth that she had just kissed.

"Tom. . ." She began, but Tom what? What could she say? She had kissed him back, no doubt about it, not hexed him. He looked at her, waiting for her next words, "I-I need to go." She said softly, pulling her hand away from where it had rested behind his neck and attempting to push him away.

"I don't think you do." Tom said shortly, grabbing her small wrist in his hand and pulling it away from his shoulder. He pushed her wrist back beside her head resting on the bookshelves behind her back. Hermione felt the dust from the old volumes spring forth from the touch of her wrist.

"No, I really think I do." Hermione said a little impatiently.

"No, I really don't think you do." Tom corrected her once again, another smirk on his lips. Oh, he was enjoying this. He was enjoying this greatly.

"Why is that?" She finally asked testily, feeling the oppressive feeling from the previous moment shrink away in favor of her usual annoyance.

"Oh, I don't know. Aren't we supposed to. . . savor the moment or something? Isn't that what people do with this kind of thing?" Tom asked, tilting his head. It only took Hermione a moment to figure out that he was completely serious.

"I guess." She forced out, resisting the urge to laugh at Tom Riddle's inadequate abilities in feeling emotions, "You just do what feels right." She added, attempting to see if he could comprehend.

"What feels right. . ." Tom said softly, his brows knitted. Then, a smirk slowly spread across his face. He stooped down, and pressed his lips very briefly to hers once more. Hermione barely had time to react, her eyes wide in shock. What was he doing?

"Tom." She said seriously, turning her head away from him.

"Yes, Hermione?" He asked innocently, his eyebrows raised slightly. Oh, that look made Hermione want to hit him, and hit him hard. His little innocent act was not fooling her any longer. She wrenched both hands free of his grip and pushed him back, but much to her dissatisfaction, he stepped back before she could really push him, "Okay, my apologies." He said, but he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"Well." Hermione finally said. Tom looked at her in mild surprise,

"Do I believe my ears?" He asked dramatically, "Is my Hermione all out of words to say?"

"Shut up." Hermione snapped, and he continued on with that annoying grin, "I am just a bit flustered, that's all." She insisted.

"Are you now? Why is that, Hermione?" He asked, trying his very best to look interested in what she had to say. It was a laughable attempt, really.

"Your acting skills are slipping, Tom." Hermione remarked lightly, straightening her white angel's dress back to perfection. Tom's face turned back into an impassive mask,

"Fine." He said emotionlessly. For a moment, Hermione almost wished that he would go back to the fake emotions; no emotions was unnerving, to say the least, "So, I just kissed you and you cannot even afford to look the least bit enthused?" He questioned, looking at her quite seriously.

Hermione definitely did not expect this kind of response. She looked down at the ground, pushing around a little dust bunny in the darkness with her foot, taking her time to respond,

"Tom, I-" She broke off, seeing his smirk, "Oh, you're a rat, Tom Riddle!" She declared, pushing his shoulder abruptly as she stepped past him, going back to looking at the shelf for her scavenger hunt clue.

"What was that thing, Hermione?" Tom asked suddenly, twirling his yew wand around in his pale fingers, the smirk still playing across his features, "Some kind of recurring nightmare?" He questioned. Hermione knitted her brow in confusion,

"What thing?" She asked, looking around her for the source of his question. He shook his head,

"No, in your memories. That humanoid with the white skin and red eyes." Tom shrugged, "It was the first thing I saw when I looked a few weeks ago."

Hermione froze, staring right back at him, then whipped out her wand, keeping it carefully trained on him, "Why are you talking about it?" She demanded. Tom rolled his eyes,

"Because, obviously, Miss Granger, I am curious." He supplied unhelpfully. Now, it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes,

"Why, thank you for that enlightening explanation, Mr. Riddle." She snapped sarcastically, sighing and putting her wand away, "A recurring nightmare? You could say that, I suppose, and that's all I'll say on the matter. It's private." Hermione continued, unwilling to reveal any knowledge to Tom Riddle of his future self. She then looked at Tom Riddle curiously, tilting her head, "Why did you see that image immediately?"

"Well, usually the first images that one encounters in Legilimency is one with a strong emotional association. Obviously, that thing was a very terrifying nightmare." Tom said matter-of-factly.

"To learn Legilimency, does one have to practice with someone who already knows the art?" Hermione asked curiously, deciding to ask him the question that she had been wondering about for some time. In response, Tom shook his head,

"No. You just have to have someone who is willing to let you practice on them." He paused, then a ghost of a smirk crossed his mouth, "Or, you just Obliviate them after the fact." He added.

"You can't just Obliviate people whenever you want to, Tom." Hermione chided, shaking her head at him, "Anyway, how did you learn Legilimency, then?"

"Books, obviously." Tom said, raising his eyebrows.

"What books? Are they in the Restricted Section?" Hermione questioned further. Tom huffed a little, seeming annoyed,

"Must you always ask so many questions?" He asked, "I see that is a yes." He paused, "I do not normally feel obligated to answer so many questions, but since you already know the answer, I will tell you. That bookshop that I took you in just outside of Hogsmeade holds many books of interest to me."

"I see." Hermione said, her eyes widening a little in understanding. So that bookshop was where Tom got all of his information on dark magic.

"How did you learn Occlumency? To learn that art, you need someone who knows Legilimency." Tom asked suddenly. Hermione tried not to panic at the question, choosing her lie carefully,

"My mother taught me, but she didn't teach me Legilimency." Hermione shrugged, "I suppose she didn't think that I needed to know it." She added, and it was half truth. After all, even though Hermione sometimes desperately desired to know what Tom was thinking, it seemed almost wrong to invade his mind. In her opinion, there was no more personal place than her own mind, and she was sure that Tom felt the same. Of course that didn't stop him from helping himself to her memories, but she was no Tom Riddle. She would not stoop to his level of invading minds to get what she wanted.

"An interesting perspective." Tom said after a moment, his eyes looking into hers, "But don't you wish that you knew Legilimency, even if just for academic purposes? To have the complete picture?"

"I guess I've never thought of that." Hermione admitted, thinking hard, "Yeah, I suppose it would be interesting to know, but I doubt that I would ever use it."

"You never know; you might." Tom prodded, then shrugged, "And I wish that I knew Occlumency." He added thoughtfully. Hermione knew what he was going to ask next, but she refused to save him the trouble of asking it, "Do you think that you could teach me, Hermione?" Tom suddenly asked, "I could teach you a little Legilimency and you could teach me some Occlumency. Then we could practice. I know you're just as bored by our classes as I am." Hermione took a moment to respond,

"Okay, Tom. We can learn from each other. But I'm warning you; you will NOT try to look into my mind ever again." She said firmly. A somewhat taunting smile crossed Tom's lips,

"But of course." He said, shrugging, "I have to admit, that thing I saw when I did look into your mind. . ."

"Must you bring that up again?" Hermione huffed.

"It was not what I was expecting to see." He admitted after a moment.

"People have a way of surprising you." Hermione responded, nodding, silently agreeing with his earlier assertion that the thing was a terrible nightmare. Voldemort was, indeed, a terrible nightmare that never really went away. In fact, he was standing right in front of her. She suddenly resumed looking on the bookshelf for the clue to her scavenger hunt.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked, tilting his head to the side and poking her shoulder with his wand. Hermione huffed,

"I'm looking for the clue, so if you're going to tag me, go ahead and do it." Hermione responded quickly, frankly deciding that she had quite enough of Nagini's little game. Tom smirked, withdrawing his wand, "What are you doing?" Hermione asked, quoting his earlier question.

"Not tagging you and letting you find your clue. Actually, I really want you to beat Nagini at her own little game, so I shall follow you around the castle and tag everyone but you. It will be brilliant." He said, tucking his wand back into his robes.

"Wouldn't that be cheating?" Hermione asked slowly.

"Of course. But who's going to know?" Tom asked, shrugging. Finally, Hermione smiled a little,

"Okay, let's go."

* ' * ' *

"And now, we have our winner. Hermione Blishwick!" Nagini announced to a rather unenthusiastic Slytherin House. House members were covered with various enchantments, half-clothed, or looking quite tired after Nagini's game. There was a golf clap, then Nagini cleared her throat, "Oh, and there's some Firewhiskey behind the armchair over there. I was saving it until after the game. Good job, everyone!" Suddenly, the crowd cheered considerably.

"So, what's the prize for Blishwick?" Lucille suddenly asked, her voice a little forced.

"Yeah, what's the prize?" Abraxas agreed, looking at Hermione with a smirk on his lips. Hermione felt suddenly nervous; what was going on here that she didn't know about? She glanced over at Tom, who looked equally as clueless as she felt. A wicked smirk appeared on Nagini's face, and she walked over to Hermione,

"Well, since it's Halloween, we were trying to decide whether to give you a trick or a treat." Nagini began, slinging her arm and Hermione's shoulders and directing her to the staircase, starting to walk up the stairs, "And by a completely random sampling from your fellow Slytherins, you got a completely even match. So, since you and Tom decided to try and cheat at my little game, we figured that we would give one of you a trick and one of you a treat. I'll let you two decide who got what." Hermione suddenly realized that they were at the top of the staircase at an unfamiliar door.

"That's alright, Nagini, I think I'll just go to bed now." Hermione said quickly, trying to get away from her friend's grip. Nagini laughed,

"I don't think so. Have a good night!" She said sweetly before shoving Hermione through the door. The door clicked shut behind her. Hermione sighed, reaching into her robes for her wand to unlock the door, but then realized that it was missing,

"Nagini!" She shouted, angry, but she was only answered with a taunting laugh. Hermione sighed, irritated, and began to look around the room. It was a living space with a nice green couch and a fireplace, along with a bookshelf stuffed with books, all neatly put away. Another door to the right led out of the small living room and into a bedroom, the bed nicely made up. Despite the inherent coziness of the room, it seemed a bit cold and impersonal.

"So Nagini locked you in here without a wand as well?" Hermione jumped at the silky voice. Of course, Nagini had locked her in a room with Tom Riddle.

"Yes. She seems to think it was a grand trick." Hermione replied, looking over at the Head Boy. He looked exceedingly angry; a vein jumped in his neck,

"If she thinks that I am not dangerous without my wand, she better not step a foot in this room tonight. I'll strangle her with my bare hands." Tom hissed, shaking his head. Clearly, he did not like people touching his wand. Hermione also noticed the way that he said the first sentence,

"Does she come here a lot?" Hermione asked suddenly, then knew by the flash in Tom's eyes that it was the wrong question to ask,

"Not in the way that you're thinking." He replied simply, walking over and sitting down on the couch. After looking at her for a moment, Tom's face suddenly slipped back into impassiveness, "Well, welcome to my quarters, the Head Boy's quarters. It can be entered by two doors; one in this living space and the other in the bedroom, hence Abraxas being able to force me up the stairs while Nagini was dragging you. I do believe that Nagini had taken my wand though; Abraxas would not dare." He mused for a moment, "Well, where are my manners? Do have a seat and make yourself comfortable. I believe we will be in here all night, during which time Nagini believes that we will finally realize our true affections and make passionate love to each other, or something equally as stupid." Hermione's first impulse was to blush, but then chuckled a little at this and sat down in the armchair next to the fireplace,

"You're probably right. She never does seem to give up. Did you solicit her as a personal dating service or did she bestow the honor upon herself?" Hermione teased. Tom sighed, rubbing her forehead tiredly,

"You have no idea." He mumbled. They fell into silence for a moment, and Hermione looked over at the clock and realized why; it was up in the early hours in the morning, and they had class the next day.

"If I had my wand, I would transfigure this couch into a bed for you, but as it is, you may sleep in my bed." Tom said, nodding, "I'll sleep in here. Feel free to help yourself to anything you require." He added politely. Hermione stood up, yawning,

"Thank you, Tom." She said sincerely, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hermione." He said softly. Hermione walked into his bedroom and hesitated for a moment before shutting the door. She removed the angel halo and wings from her costume and slipped off her shoes before pulling back the sheets and slipping into Tom's bed. It was a weird feeling knowing that she was sleeping in the same place as Voldemort, but she was honestly too tired to care. As she laid her head on the cold pillow, Hermione suddenly felt something hard digging into her back. She picked up the tiny offender; an ornate clip-on earring, perfectly in the style of the day. It looked strangely familiar, but she could not place it at the moment. Yawning, Hermione dropped off into sleep.

* ' * ' *

_Bang!_

Hermione sat up quickly in the unfamiliar bed, groggy and disoriented. The sudden bang startled her and she swung her legs over the side of the bed, standing up and crossing the room to the door that lead out to the living space, listening carefully. On the other side of the door, she could hear quiet whispers, but she could not discern what was being said. After a moment, Hermione finally mustered up the courage and opened the door.

Tom Riddle looked up from his place sitting on the couch. Beside him, looking much more startled, was a face that Hermione knew that she should have expected to see. Nagini smiled a little at her,

"You know, Hermione, my idea of the grand trick or treat was for you and Tom to end up in the same bed." She said pointedly, but her usually teasing voice sounded weak and her smile seemed almost pained.

"Nagini, are you okay?" Hermione asked slowly, forgetting for a moment that Tom was even there. Nagini nodded quickly,

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I suppose. I'll be heading back to bed soon." Nagini said quickly with a wave of her hand, but her breaths were shallow and quick, "You go on back to bed." She said, smiling again.

"Do not worry about Nagini, Hermione. I will see that she gets back to her dormitory. She couldn't sleep and needed someone to keep her company." Tom said softly, twirling his wand in his fingers.

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll just. . . go back to my dormitory, then." Hermione said quickly, returning to Tom's bedroom to make up the bed and then returning to the living space, "I'll see you both at breakfast." Hermione said, shocked that Nagini did not protest at her leaving Tom's room.

As Hermione laid in her own bed a few minutes later, her mind thought back to the strange scene that she had just encountered. Perhaps Nagini's nighttime excursions were not with Abraxas after all. Her mind began to wander and she found herself moving towards sleep once more.

Then, liked a memory of a forgotten nightmare, Hermione suddenly could hear Tom's silky voice mumble something, then the pleading retort of a girl's voice, Nagini's voice. It was on the edge of Hermione's conscious, voices from her dream back in Tom's room that might not have been a dream after all. Lying in the safety and comfort of her own bed, Hermione desperately tried to remember what those voices had said before she was awakened by the loud bang; some angry remarks, some hissing whispers, all indiscernible by Hermione in her dreamlike state.

Then, like a punch in the gut, Hermione remembered one word that had been said calmly by Tom in such a voice that Hermione suddenly felt the urge to vomit. As Hermione had laid slumbering in his bed, Tom had articulated one word to Nagini, his right hand and the closest person he had to a friend, that would forever haunt Hermions's memory;

"_Crucio_."

**Author's Note: As you can tell, I worked a long time trying to decide how I wanted Hermione and Tom's post-kiss scene to go. I wrote and rewrote this chapter several times, but I must admit that I was never truly pleased with it. This version, however, was my best attempt. So, what do you think? Is Tom simply a monster or did Nagini do something to warrant the use of an Unforgivable Curse? Let me know your thoughts, and thanks for reading!**

**Cheers!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Hermione couldn't sleep that night; every time she attempted to close her eyes, she saw Nagini's tired expression and heard her weak voice. In her mind, she heard Tom's silky smooth voice pronouncing the incantation to an unforgivable curse. And, deep inside, Hermione hated herself for not marching right out of her bed, up the stairs, and rescuing Nagini, but she could not risk her own safety, or Tom becoming suspicious of her actions. They had a deal, after all, and she had to help him find the Diadem. He couldn't think that Hermione knew his own twisted motivations.

_How very Slytherin of you, Granger. _Hermione could almost hear Draco Malfoy's voice teasing her in her head. Why she thought of Draco Malfoy, she wasn't entirely sure, but he seemed like the appropriate antagonist at the moment. Sighing, Hermione turned on her side, her eyes watching the second hand on the old-fashioned alarm clock tick in agonizingly slow circles.

Maybe she dozed off, maybe she did not. Hermione could not be sure, but 7:00 AM came quickly and she found herself getting up and pulling on her school clothes, groggy and feeling terrible. She attempted to brush her bushy locks, huffing as it got caught in a mass of tangles.

"Hermione?" Nagini asked, entering in the dormitory and looking with concern at her friend, "You look really tired." She noted. Hermione turned to address the girl and had to hold in a gasp,

"Nagini. . ." Hermione said slowly, "You look terrible." And it was true; there were shadows underneath Nagini's eyes, her normally buoyant locks were handing pitifully, and her lips were in a slack half-smile.

"Me?" Nagini said, chuckling a little breathlessly, "Oh, me. Don't worry about me. I just didn't sleep much last night, you know." She said, attempting to wave off Hermione's comment as if it were nothing. Hermione knew it wasn't nothing; she heard Tom Riddle use an Unforgivable Curse. He must have done it more than once for Nagini to look, and feel, this bad.

"I don't buy that, Nagini." Hermione said, giving her friend a serious look.

"I know you don't." Nagini replied very quietly, sighing and running a hand through her hair, "I suppose there's nothing I can say that will make you understand." She admitted, not meeting Hermione's eyes.

"Try." Hermione said simply.

"Try what?" Nagini asked, tilting her head.

"Try to make me understand, because I certainly don't understand remaining close to someone who harms you." Hermione stated bluntly, stepping around to stand in front of Nagini and making the girl meet her eyes. Nagini's head snapped up, staring at Hermione,

"Someone who hurts me?" She asked carefully, her expression guarded.

"Yes, someone who hurts you." Hermione responded calmly, "Like Tom Riddle." She added quietly. Nagini's eyes widened as she stared at Hermione for a very long moment,

"How do you know that Tom did anything?" Nagini countered, still seeming unwillingly to tell Hermione anything. Hermione considered how to answer this for a long time; should she tell Nagini that she knew that Tom used an Unforgivable Curse?

"You were in his room last night, you come back looking and feeling horrible." Hermione finally said, "Tom Riddle did something. Just what, I am not entirely sure, but there is no way that it could be something good. So, make me understand, Nagini, because I am worried about you." Nagini sighed, sitting down on the bed and biting her lip for what seemed like a very long time, although it was in actuality only a couple of minutes. Hermione did not insist on an answer, but instead waited patiently.

"Have you ever been a part of something bigger than yourself? Something you know can change the world?" Nagini finally asked softly, then looked up into Hermione's eyes, "Sometimes there are things that are more important than you or I, big changes that can occur, all for the greater good. I want to be around to make those changes. This world is so screwed up. . . I have to be around to make those changes."

"Then why allow yourself to be harmed? Would that not ensure that you won't be around?" Hermione questioned, perplexed. There was obviously something that she was missing here. Something big.

"Good things come to those who wait." Nagini whispered, her voice almost impossible to hear, as if she were afraid of it falling onto different ears, "I bide my time, I wait. I am bound in an place from which there is no escaping, but that does not matter because I will escape. I always do." Suddenly her voice turned ice cold, "You think me a fool, Hermione, for suffering. I can see it in your eyes. But there is something you do not know; I would suffer more away from Tom than I do close to him. Yes, Tom uses pain to exact what he wants, but there is pain in things far worse than torture." Hermione simply stared, her blood chilling,

"What is worse than torture?"

"Death." Nagini said simply, standing up from the better and walking towards the bathroom to freshen up, "Death is the ultimate surrender unless you carry something with you. A secret, some vital piece of information." She paused, "I do not intend to die without my final say."

With that, Nagini walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

* ' * ' *

"Miss Blishwick, could you stay a moment to discuss your latest assignment, please?" Dumbledore asked kindly, a small smile on his thin lips, "I promise that you shall not be late for your next class."

"Oh, not a problem, professor. I have a free period next." Hermione said quickly, placing her books in her bag and approaching the Transfiguration professor.

"Well, it is a happy coincidence, then." Dumbledore said with another smile, though Hermione did not expect it to be a coincidence at all. She turned around and waved good-bye to her Slytherin counterparts, although Nagini was already gone and Tom seemed distant to her. Avery, of course, waved back with a smile before leaving the room, the last student to leave. Dumbledore's smile faded a little, "Shall we go into my office? We will not be disturbed there." Hermione nodded,

"Of course." She said quickly, having a feeling that this did not involve any recent assignment. They crossed the room and entered in the small but comfortably crowded office, "What is it that you wish to speak to me about?" Hermione questioned. Dumbledore sat down at interlaced his fingers, taking his time to respond,

"You might be wondering why it has taken me so long to speak with you again since our last meeting. I have been doing much research on your time travel quandary, and I am afraid to report that I have found some disturbing news." Hermione leaned forward a little in her seat, her heart pounding intently, "I can find no records of anyone doing what you have done before, but that is to be expected since the technology was experimental in your time." Dumbledore said, nodding, "The more disturbing piece of information, however, comes from the nature of your time travel. Even if the device works as a kind of giant time-turner, as you have said, I do not believe it possible for you to travel to a time which is not in your own lifetime. For example, if you used a time-turner now, you could travel back an hour and, say, walk about the grounds as the other "you," if you will, sits in Transfiguration. As long as the two Hermione Granger's do not see one another and no one exchanges conflicting information, the time travel will remain unknown and if your self who traveled back in time makes it back to the same location where the real self sent oneself back in time, there will not be two Hermione Grangers any longer."

"Yes, I understand, professor." Hermione said, nodding. She had, after all, used a time-turner to get to all of her classes her third year.

"You see the difficulty, then, in deciding exactly why you were able to travel so far back in time if a Hermione Granger did not exist already." Dumbledore said, and Hermione nodded again; he was right. This did not make sense, "All of this leads me to believe that the device that the future Ministry of Magic was creating was not a giant time-turner at all. If it were, it would only be possible for you to travel back to the time of your birth, and no earlier."

"Sir, I was an Unspeakable and they told my team that the device was a giant time-turner." Hermione said slowly, shaking her head and trying to take it all in. Dumbledore nodded,

"Yes, I see the difficulty, however, if the Ministry is that secretive with the public, it stands to reason that they might also be secretive with their employees." He stated, and Hermione sighed, nodding in reluctant agreement. Even if she did not want to believe it, it did make sense, "So, this new possibility makes many new puzzles appear. If the device is not a time-turner, then what is it? Have you created two of yourself as if in a time-turner and the future self is continuing to live normally, or have you removed yourself completely from the future?" Dumbledore paused, "If a Seer looked into the future, would you be there, Miss Granger, and would you have changed anything? For time travel is a murky subject, but in the case of a time-turner, _all of the events have already happened_. Simply the outcome when the self returns to the present time is different, and then the future."

"I. . . I wish I knew more about the invention, sir, but I do not. I understand the difficulties that you have laid out. The situation is far more difficult than I would have originally thought." Hermione admitted softly, shaking her head in wonder, "I just cannot believe that I had such a lapse in judgement as to try such an invention in the first place. It is so unlike me."

"I can see where that would be true, Miss Granger. I was curious as to your motivation as well, but I shall not ask. I do not wish to reveal any of the future in case of the revelation causes significant damage." Dumbledore said, "I am afraid all that remains to be done is theorize and to see if I can some up with some solution to your situation. I regret to say that I only have a few theories, but I dare say that I might be able to come up with some more. One of the most pressing questions that I have in direct relation to your problem is the question of traveling forward in time. Traveling in the past has never been much of an issue, as you see with a time-turner, but traveling forward is considerably more difficult."

"I understand, sir. I will put my mind to it as well." Hermione promised solemnly, "Do you think it is possible to travel to the future?"

"Since you are from the future, I think it might be. Events have already passed, so it might be possible for you to return. For an individual who does not have an older self present in that time, I do not know." He paused, "If that were possible, I fear that it might open doors that do not need to be opened." He added quietly.

"I will not even mention the possibility to anyone, then. I swear." Hermione assured him, "And not a word of this discussion will leave this room."

"Excellent." Dumbledore replied, "That is best, I believe. Now, I must send you along on your way for now. It would not do for anyone to notice your long absence and become suspicious of our discussion." Hermione stood up, agreeing with him that there discussion had almost been too long already to avoid attention,

"Yes, sir. I will be sure to let you know if I remember or come across anything that might be helpful." Hermione said, pushing the chair back against the wall.

"I will call you in again in the not so distant future to talk with you about what I find." Dumbledore said, "I beg you not to lose heart. This might seem like a difficult task, but there are rarely any problems which cannot be solved in time. Good day, Miss Blishwick."

And, just like that, Dumbledore moved effortlessly back into her disguise.

"Good day, professor." Hermione bade him good-bye and walked out of his office, shutting the door softly behind her. She walked slowly through the Transfiguration classroom and out into the nearly deserted corridors of Hogwarts, her mind still churning with all that had happened that day. Nagini's assertion that she knew exactly what Tom was doing to her and had an ulterior motive was disturbing, but Dumbledore's probably correct guess that the device Hermione used to travel back in time was not a time-turner was even more disturbing. Her flimsy reasoning for traveling back in time now seemed even more flimsy than ever. Somehow, there was something else to this puzzle, a missing piece, but Hermione could not even begin to fathom what it would be.

Hermione decided to go back to her dormitory and fetch one of her books and spend her free period reading by the lake. Although it was now November and quite chilly outside, she knew a simple warming spell that would make her comfortable and the cold air would help to clear her mind. Hermione made her way quickly back to her dormitory and fetched two books that she had taken out from the library before then exiting the dormitory and walking to the front doors of Hogwarts.

Chilly wind greeted her as she stepped out of the castle, but the cool air was refreshingly sweet to Hermione's nostrils. She walked through the layer of leaves on the ground, enjoying the soft crunching sound they made beneath her feet as she walked. As Hermione reached the side of the lake, she settled down in the dying grass and cast the warming charm around her, settling back comfortably and pulling out a plain black book.

Once again, the Runic book taunted her. Try as she might, Hermione could not decipher the runes in the books. Even though she soon found out that she knew all of the Runes, with the exception of very few, in the book, they were in a strange order and looked to be complete gibberish. Hermione sighed, frustrated. Why would Tom be so interested in this book?

As she continued to stare at the book, Hermione realized something else unusual about it; the ink was different in different sections. Sometimes the ink looked to be very aged and almost greenish in color and other times, the ink was black and fresh. Clearly, the book had not been written all at once, and it was indeed hand-written, which left Hermione with two conclusions; either the book was very new and in the drafting stages, or it was very old, which might explain the strange rune combinations. Hermione finally closed the book, knowing that she would get no more of its secrets now.

The sound of the soft crunching of leaves caused Hermione to quickly look around, spotting none other than Tom Riddle walking towards her. He stopped a few feet from her, looking mildly surprised to see her,

"Hello, Miss Granger." He greeted softly, kicking a few of the leaves with his foot. A smirk appeared on his lips as he saw the book in her hand, "Still trying to decipher that book, are you?" He asked.

"Yes, I am. It just doesn't make sense to me. I know all of the runes, but they are in such a strange order. . ." Hermione confessed, sighing. She then suddenly looked up at Tom, "Can you read it?" She questioned. He nodded shortly,

"Yes." He answered, "But I will not tell you how. If you cannot figure out how to read it, then you probably do not need to read what is in the book." He responded simply. Hermione's first impulse was to be irritated at his assumed superiority, but then she realized that, for one, there was no mockery in his voice.

"Would I understand what is in this book?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I dare say you would." Tom said with a nod.

"So I should continue trying to figure it out?" She continued to prod carefully.

"I will not tell you what you should or should not to. Just bear in mind that once you discover a secret, you can never truly forget it without losing part of yourself." Tom warned slowly, "You might not want to know what is in that book. I cannot tell you that. But I can tell you to proceed with caution." Hermione looked up at him, trying to puzzle out his meaning, but as usual, she could get no new information, "Come, Hermione, let's go eat lunch." Tom Riddle said suddenly, offering her a hand to help her up.

"Okay, I am pretty hungry." Hermione admitted, grasping his hand and standing up before letting it go again and following him to the castle. As they entered the Great Hall, something definitely seemed to be wrong. All of the students were talking in whispers and some of the staff were missing from the staff table. Hermione looked over at Tom, but he, for once, looked equally perplexed as they made their way over to the Slytherin table.

"Tom, Hermione, there you are." Nagini said softly, sighing with relief, "We were wondering if you were alright." Hermione looked around and noticed that Abraxas, Lestrange, and, strangely enough, Alphard Black were missing from the table. She quickly slid into the seat next to Nagini, Tom sitting on the other side of the girl.

"Why wouldn't we be alright, Nagini?" Hermione asked with concern, "Where is everybody?" She added, becoming nervous at the expression on Nagini's face.

"Something happened to Abraxas, Lestrange, and Black." Nagini said in a whisper, trying to keep her voice down. Tom looked at her seriously,

"What do you mean 'something'?" He prodded, clearly impatient for answers.

"I mean something. No one knows exactly." Nagini said, shaking her head, "They were attacked by somebody, and all sustained serious injury. Dippet ordered them to be moved to St. Mungo's immediately, and all I know if that they are in critical condition." Hermione stared at Nagini in shock,

"But why? Why would someone do such a thing?" She asked, dumbstruck. Nagini sighed,

"The only thing I can figure is that someone has it out for Slytherins, but I have no idea who. Even Dumbledore seemed worried, and he does not normally get to worried about House rivalries." Tom shook his head,

"No, Dumbledore would not care about some stupid House rivalry. This is something else, something very dangerous." At that moment, Professor Merrythought stood up at the staff table, clearing her throat. The already quiet Great Hall grew silent,

"I need your attention, students. There is a dangerous individual somewhere in the castle and, as such, you will all be returning to your dormitories. Your Head of House will make sure that all House members are accounted for and will stay in your Common Room for your protection until all of this is sorted out. Thank you." The students began to stand up, filing out of the Great Hall and leaving their uneaten lunches without a care for them. Fear was evident and whispers of the name "Grindelwald" were not uncommon as Hermione began to walk back to the dormitories with Tom, Nagini, Avery, Wilkes, and Rosier. All were silent as Nagini muttered the password to the blank wall, entering the Common Room quickly.

"Be sure to let me know if you find out anything, since you're Head Boy, Tom." Nagini said seriously, turning around to Tom Riddle. She then looked confused, "Tom?" Hermione turned her head, looking around as well, but Tom Riddle was no where to be seen.

"He probably got called back because he's Head Boy and we just did not hear." Rosier said firmly. Nagini nodded,

"Yes, that's it. Come on, we need to get back to our dormitories. Tom will be here shortly." She said softly, grabbing Hermione's hand.

Hermione could tell that every word uttered by both Nagini and Rosier were a lie. Tom Riddle was loose in the castle with a dangerous wizard, and Hermione was stuck in her dormitory.

As soon as everyone settled down in the seventh year girl's dormitory, many decided to take a nap. Hermione waited in complete silence as they dropped off to sleep, then she cast a Disillusionment charm on herself and stood up.

She was going to find Tom Riddle.

**Author's Note: So, I know there was a lot of talking and theorizing in this chapter, and not all of it is explained yet, but what do you think about Hermione's time travel? How do you think she did it? I hope this clears up a little of the confusion from the first few chapters of the story. I know many people were confused and thought her time travel explanation to be simply wrong and a flaw in the story, but I hope that this clears it up a little. Also, what do you think of the attacks on Slytherins? Let me know and thanks for reading. Cheers!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

An eerie quiet settled in the corridors of Hogwarts, sending a prickle up Hermione's spine. A dangerous wizard was wandering the castle, and here she was searching for Tom Marvolo Riddle, who could very well be called a dangerous wizard as well. The craziness of the situation was not lost to Hermione as she hurried through the corridors, crouched low and Disillusioned with her wand firmly in her hand.

Where to start?

The castle was enormous; he could be anywhere. To disappear so quickly though, he could not have taken a path that Hermione, Nagini, and the rest had taken back to the Common Room, or they would have run into him, so that ruled out the dungeons, but not much else.

Where did the young Lord Voldemort most likely call home?

Hermione quickly began the long climb to the seventh floor of Hogwarts, trying to keep her breathing quiet as she ran as quickly as she could. Upon reaching the seventh floor, Hermione could hear the sound of muffled voices not too far off. She slowed down her pace, making sure to stay close to the wall in her Disillusioned state and trying to make no noise.

"It appears that the individual has left the Hogwarts premises. We've searched everywhere and cannot find a trace of him or her." Professor Merrythought was saying, her wand still grasped firmly in her hand and shaking her head a little, "It's like he was a ghost, sir." Professor Dippet accompanied her, his face looking tired and worn.

"I have no idea how he could have gotten in and out so quickly, and attacked three very capable students on top of that. Lestrange, Malfoy, and Black are all capable of defending themselves, and yet they are in critical condition at St. Mungo's." He sighed heavily, "These disasters keep on happening under my watch."

"You cannot blame yourself for the actions of lunatics, sir." Merrythought said quickly.

"But Hogwarts' students are my responsibility, and I am unable to keep them safe at the moment. Those attacked students were found out by the lake in critical condition – on Hogwarts grounds. Ground that I am responsible for." Dippet paused, "Perhaps my time as Headmaster is coming to a close. Albus is deputy Headmaster and he would be more than capable of leading the school." Merrythought nodded,

"That is true, and of course you must make the decision soon. But right now, the students need us to be confident and strong." She asserted firmly, placing a kind hand on his shoulder, "Come, let's go and check with the other staff members." Dippet nodded, following the elderly Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to the staircase.

As soon as they left, Hermione exhaled, mulling over what she had just heard. Dippet seemed very unsure of himself, ready to step down even. In her time, she never did learn how and when Dumbledore took over the position of Headmaster, but she didn't think that it was so soon after the Chamber of Secrets incident. In fact, in all of her reading, she had also never come across anything referring to the attack of three Hogwarts students from prominent families, an account that surely should have appeared in some of the books dealing with controversy about Hogwarts.

Something wasn't right here, and it was beginning to make Hermione feel extremely nervous. She took a deep breath, rounding the corner and walking a few paces to stop in front of the Troll tapestry. She paced back and forth, desperately thinking that she needed answers, needed to find Tom Riddle, needed a way back to her own time, needed anything really other than the uneasy feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach. Sure enough, after the third pace, a simple brown door appeared on the wall. The Room of Requirement. Hermione sighed in relief, stepping forward and grasping the handle of the door, but then she hesitated, a little unsure of what she would find. Her request, after all, had been extremely vague. Grasping her wand so tightly that her knuckled turned white, Hermione wrenched the door open and stepped into the room.

The room was a medium-sized one, with a bed shoved against one wall, a roaring fire in a fireplace, a full bookshelf, and a neat desk. None of this, however, was noticed by Hermione. She was too shocked to move her eyes away from the people directly in front of her.

"_Finite Incantatem_!" Tom Riddle said smoothly, pointing his wand in the direction of the door. Before she could do anything else, Hermione's Disillusionment charm was removed and she was clearly visible to him, her mouth open in shock, "Ah, Miss Granger. So kind of you to join us. Please, do come in." With a wave of his wand, the door slammed shut behind her, a click indicating that it was locked. _Us. _The word registered slowly with Hermione in her state of shock as she looked at the boy who stood next to Tom Marvolo Riddle: he was alike in size and stature, clad in Slytherin robes, and possessed the same impossibly dark hair and eyes, and still had the porcelain skin. In fact, she would say that Tom Riddle and this boy were identical, but the boy was slightly younger.

"Who's this?" She finally managed to say, but even then the words stuck in her throat and the feeling of unease settled in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh, this boy?" Tom asked, nonchalantly twirling his yew wand between his fingers and looking at the boy next to him, "You already know him, actually. You just do not realize that you know him." The Tom Riddle look-alike said nothing, continuing to survey Hermione with his dark eyes.

"I already know him?" Hermione asked, impossibly confused. Tom chuckled,

"Well, in a way." He paused, "In fact, I think you know him quite well." Hermione continued to look between the two, still uncomprehending,

"I don't understand." She said, then stopped. Oh no. Oh, no, no, no. It was impossible, it was so utterly impossible that she even refused to admit it herself. Two people, one a boy of maybe seventeen, one a man who was supposed to be seventeen, it was brilliant, but impossible.

"No, Hermione Granger. I believe you do understand." The man Tom Riddle said quietly, taking a step towards her, "An intelligent witch like you, I know that you could figure it out."

"But. . . how?" Hermione said hoarsely, shaking her head, "This is impossible."

"Impossible to the magic you know." The boy Tom Riddle affirmed, his voice slightly higher, but still full of arrogance, "But we know more than you can ever know because we do not listen to the impossible." The Tom Riddle that Hermione knew nodded,

"Indeed. Meet the younger me, Tom Marvolo Riddle at the age of seventeen." The boy bowed mockingly before straightening back up, eyes glinting, "I must apologize for his lack of tact. He does not yet have the manners during private dealings that I have acquired. My name, too, is Tom Marvolo Riddle, ripe at twenty-three years of age. I suppose you must have wondered why I looked so much older than my classmates. Well, now you may wonder no more."

"So, you. . . you're the Tom Riddle whom I've been seeing every day." Hermione said slowly, her brain still fuzzy and confused. The twenty-three year old Tom Riddle nodded. Hermione then looked over at the seventeen year old Tom Riddle, "But you're the one who actually is supposed to be attending Hogwarts at this very moment. And you're both here through some kind of time travel, but neither of you have gone insane. How?"

"Insane is a matter of perspective." The younger Tom Riddle said pointedly before the elder could reply, "My dear older self seems to think that coming back to this time and re-living his life from this point onward will benefit him greatly and has thus kept me locked in this room for almost a year now." He smirked, "Until tonight, of course."

Of course. So, the younger Tom Riddle had somehow escaped the Room of Requirement and attacked Abraxas, Lestrange, and Black.

"Why did you attack them? Abraxas, Lestrange, and Black, I mean?" Hermione asked him, tilting her head.

"Why does one attack anyone?" He questioned, shrugging, "They were in my way." Obviously, vague and unhelpful replied did not change much as Tom Riddle aged. The older Tom Riddle looked with slight annoyance at his younger self,

"You know, Miss Granger, it is difficult to outsmart yourself, especially when yourself happens to be one of the brightest wizards to ever walk these halls." He mused, then shook his head, "Anyway, my dear younger self is currently unable to leave this room, until he figures that out too, which I am sure he will." He paused, "But as to your first question, how, I must confess that I cannot tell you everything. To do so would reveal my secret. But, I will tell you, there is a way to travel through time without the aid of a Time-turner and to do so long term, but not only a way to travel through time, but space as well. So, when I came back to Hogwarts, I actually began six years in the future in Diagon Alley, but ended up six years back in Hogwarts."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat; had she not done precisely the same thing with the futuristic Ministry invention, just years in the future? How did Voldemort, at age twenty-three, discover what the Ministry of Magic did not for decades to come?

"Will you be able to return? To the future, I mean?" Hermione asked breathlessly. Tom Riddle looked at her closely,

"I am not completely sure, since I have not yet tried. As you well know, traveling forward in time is considerably more difficult than traveling backwards. I do believe I will, though. But the future I return to will not be the one that I left." He said slowly, still twirling his wand between his fingers.

"You have changed the timeline?" Hermione asked slowly. So it was possible, and Tom Riddle knew how to return to the future. How could she kill him now? She desperately needed his knowledge, and now there were at least two time travelers messing with the timeline. Who knew what kind of future she would return to?

"I most certainly have. Such was my object in taking the risk in the first place." Tom affirmed, nodding his head, "I needed to correct some blunders of my younger self." The young Tom Riddle scowled, stalking away and sitting on the couch in front of the fire.

"How did you discover the secret to time traveling in this way?" Hermione asked softly the question that had been eating away at her. How was this possible? How come the future Lord Voldemort did not use this valuable skill to evade death?

"I had help." Tom Riddle said simply, his dark eyes boring into her own, "Now, my turn to ask question." He began to pace, hands clasped behind his back, "How did you find this room?"

"I was looking for you, actually, because I was worried about you. This door appeared out of nowhere on the wall across from the Troll tapestry." Hermione replied easily enough.

"You were pacing, I take it? Three times back and forth, yes?" Tom pressed on, unconvinced of the coincidence.

"Might have been three, yes, I suppose." Hermione said carefully, shrugging and doing her best to imitate his most irritating manner of superiority. Yes, she knew that he knew that she came to the Room of Requirement deliberately, but Hermione would never admit it. Tom scowled briefly, but then shook his head and wiped his face clean of expression,

"Fine. You randomly found this room. Now, you were worried about me? So Nagini knows that you've gone to look for me?" Tom Riddle asked. It was not really a question, but Hermione swallowed before answering.

"No."

"No?" Tom asked, raising his eyebrows.

"No." Hermione affirmed shortly. He sighed,

"Well, we have to return then. No use in staying here much longer; she might come looking for us." He glanced back at his younger self who was currently sulking in the corner, "She doesn't know where he is, and she doesn't need to." Hermione followed his gaze, then slowly looked back at the Tom Riddle she knew,

"Nagini does not know that that boy is the Tom Riddle she knows?" Tom looked back at her quickly,

"Incorrect. She knows that I am my future self. It's difficult to hide that sort of thing from Nagini. She does not, however, know the location of my past self, and I do not intend for her to know." He paused, "Nagini has her own agenda sometimes, and I do not intend for her petty plans to get in the way of mine." He straightened his robes, waving his wand at the door and unlocking it with ease, "Now, shall we be off?" Hermione could not help but stare at him,

"So. . . just like that?" She asked, incredulous.

"Just like what?" Tom questioned, looking at her and tilting his head to the side ever so slightly.

"You just let me in on one of your biggest secrets, something you won't even tell Nagini, and you're not taking any precautions to ensure that I will not disclose it to anyone?" Hermione said slowly, shaking her head, "I don't understand." Tom smirked slightly,

"Oh, you won't tell anyone. Why?" He stepped close to her, too close, his scent invading her senses as the taller man looked down at her, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear, "I've already taken the precautions to ensure that you won't tell anyone, but I suppose I'll make it plain: if you tell anyone, I'll tell Grindelwald where you are. Simple." A dark chuckle emitted from his chest as his hand slid under her chin, tilting her head up to look into his eyes. For a moment, Hermione forgot to breathe, "I would rather you not do that, though, because I would much rather have you alive."

"Why is that?" Hermione asked softly, hearing her blood pound in her head. Just like that, his warmth was gone and he was walking towards the door,

"Because, Hermione Granger, you intrigue me. And one can say that I do not become intrigued too often."

* ' * ' *

Hermione lay in bed that night unable to sleep, her mind working a million miles per hour. So Tom Riddle was time traveling just as she was. How delightfully ironic, since she had been hoping to destroy him. But now. . . if she killed one of the Tom Riddles present in this time, would they both die? Had the multiple time travelers disturbed the timeline into an unrecognizable mess?

She sighed; this was becoming rapidly more complicated, and she had the feeling that she was becoming caught up in a web that she did not fully understand. Hermione desperately desired help, answers – anything. Somehow, though, Tom Riddle was right; she would not tell anyone, even Dumbledore. How could she? Both Tom Riddle and his younger, Hogwarts-aged selves were dangerous, and even though Dumbledore was a great wizard, she would not chance him being killed trying to take on both of them. Where would the future be without Dumbledore, especially if Voldemort could rage unchecked?

This meant something else, too: the Tom Riddle she knew was, in fact, Voldemort, even if he was not the Voldemort that she knew in the future. After all, as he had said, the timeline had been changed. What mistake he made that needed fixing, however, Hermione did not know. Tom Riddle must think he had already altered the timeline, since Hermione appeared at Hogwarts and she was not present the last time.

The door to the dormitory opened and closed quickly, a slim figure slipping into the dormitory and over to the bed next to Hermione's. Nagini sat on her bed, slipping off her house slippers before looking over at Hermione's open eyes,

"You're awake." She whispered quietly, glancing at the clock that read 1:30 on her bedside table, "Can't sleep?"

"No, I can't." Hermione admitted in a whisper, sighing, "You couldn't either?" She questioned.

"No. I rarely can, to be honest." Nagini replied, pulling back her sheets and swinging her legs beneath them, "It's hard to sleep when your mind is constantly churning." Hermione sighed; she definitely knew the feeling,

"I'm in the same situation right now." Hermione admitted softly, turning over on her side to face Nagini, "Do you ever wish that you could just. . . un-learn something?" She asked slowly, her heart beating a little nervously. No matter what, she could not accidentally reveal Tom Riddle's secret, but Nagini was extremely perceptive. Nagini looked back at Hermione for a long moment before picking up her wand, casting a quick charm nonverbally that Hermione assumed to be some kind of silencing charm.

"Yes." Nagini said in a normal voice, obviously unconcerned with being heard, "All of the time. Every day, in fact." Since none of the other girls in the dormitory so much as stirred, Hermione knew that Nagini had, indeed, cast a silencing spell, "Is there something on your mind?" Nagini asked carefully.

"Lots of things, actually." Hermione responded just as carefully. Both her and Nagini were attempting to hide what they knew, but something told Hermione that both of their secrets had to do with the same time-traveling future dark lord, "Nothing that I feel like I can tell anyone, though. The things that I'm thinking about. . . they're things that I have to work out on my own, but I just don't know how."

"Sounds like we're in the same boat, then." Nagini said with a humorless chuckle, "But I will tell you, from experience, that it doesn't get better. Once you start getting involved with Tom Riddle, there's no going back."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked quickly, her breath catching a little; she did not expect such frankness from Nagini.

"Don't expect Tom Riddle to just let you leave, or just let you go. Once you're let into his confidence, you feel special, so special. But he won't let you leave. Somehow, he'll always keep you under his influence, whether you want to be or not." Nagini spat bitterly, running a hand through her curly locks. Hermione, of course, knew Tom Riddle's manipulative tendencies, but was Nagini really ensnared by him? How? Nagini was so strong, such a free spirit. If he could trap her, he could trap anyone.

"Are you. . . trapped by him?" Hermione asked slowly. It seemed like a silly question, but since Nagini was in such a frank mood, she had to ask. Nagini looked over at Hermione, raising her eyebrows,

"Isn't it obvious?" Questioned Hermione's friend, but a laugh followed, "Don't worry about me, Hermione. I know Tom Riddle better than anyone, and I always will. We understand each other, and he knows it. I think that might bother him sometimes, but he needs me like he needs no one else." Nagini said with a nod. "Or, almost no one else." She muttered as an afterthought. Somehow, Hermione knew exactly who he was referring to.

"What about Abraxas and the others?" Hermione pried further, expecting Nagini to seem more concerned about Abraxas than she was. Didn't they have some kind of. . . fling going on?

"I don't know." Nagini said quite honestly, her lips forming into a troubled frown, "I don't understand why they were attacked. Whoever did it must have some kind of personal vendetta against them, although I can't imagine who." Hermione sighed, turning onto her back and staring up at the green curtains above her bed,

"I don't know either." She responded quietly, and it was partly true. Why the young Tom Riddle would want to attack his own followers, she had no idea. Nagini turned onto her back as well, waving her wand and removing the silencing charm,

"Just. . . try and get some sleep. Block it all out and think about it in the morning. That's what I do." She whispered, closing her eyes stubbornly.

"Goodnight, Nagini." Hermione whispered by way of responding, forcing her eyes to close as well.

"Goodnight, Hermione."

* ' * ' *

"Good morning, Blishwick." Avery said softly, forcing a smile that did not match his eyes. Hermione nodded at him, looking around the somber Great Hall as breakfast was being served,

"Morning, Avery." She replied, sitting down beside him. Across from them sat Rosier and Wilkes, who said nothing. Nagini and Tom were no where to be found and with their injured housemates absent, the table seemed quite empty indeed. Hermione picked up a piece of toast and took a bite, chewing mechanically.

"I think Dippet has cancelled our first class due to the attacks that took place yesterday." Wilkes suddenly offered up, the sound of his low voice unexpectedly breaking the awkward silence. Hermione looked up at him, sipping on some water and swallowing slowly,

"So, they were attacks?" She asked cautiously, feigning ignorance. Wilkes nodded,

"Most definitely." He responded laconically.

"How are they? Abraxas, Lestrange, and Alphard, I mean." She asked quickly, still feeling unsettled.

"Stable, I believe." Wilkes answered, "That's all I have heard."

"They're out of immediate danger, at least for the moment." Avery assured her, "Slughorn says that he'll keep us as informed as he can, and even Dumbledore is looking into the attacker. I don't think that they can remain hidden for long." Hermione nodded absent-mindedly and ate the remainder of her toast in silence. Soon, many students began standing up and shuffling off back to their dormitories, since it was cold and bleak outside and the first class was canceled. Hermione stood up as well, joining the crowd to go back to her dormitory and possibly catch another hour of sleep.

"The lake." Rosier whispered quietly in her ear. Hermione jumped at his unexpected closeness.

"What?" She whispered back.

"He wants to see you by the lake." Rosier responded quickly, just as softly as before, and then walked away, taking a staircase going up. Hermione took a deep breath before turning and exiting the main doors of Hogwarts; there weren't many people who Rosier could be referring to, and, sure enough, the elegant figure of Tom Riddle stood next to the lake.

"Ah, Miss Granger." He said upon spotting her arriving, "I'm glad that Rosier delivered the message." He turned his gaze back to the water, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. Cautiously, Hermione stepped beside him, her eyes following his gaze out over the water but spotting nothing unusual.

"Is something the matter?" She asked, shivering a little as a cold breeze ruffled her and Tom's robes and disturbing the smooth surface of the lake.

"Abraxas, Lestrange, and Alphard Black were found near this lake, unconscious, yesterday." Tom said softly, looking over to her, "And yet, we were outside during the approximate time of the attack, near the lake, and we saw nothing." Hermione frowned; that was odd.

"Well, maybe, the attacker, the. . . other Tom Riddle was hiding and waiting until we left to attack." Tom shook his head,

"I considered the possibility, but Nagini and the others had already heard of the attacks when we arrived inside, remember?" Hermione's frown grew deeper, since she knew that he was right.

"It could have been on the other side of the lake." She pointed out, and Tom seemed to consider this for a moment,

"It could have been, but the lack of certainty makes me uneasy." Uneasiness never seemed to trouble Tom Marvolo Riddle, which sent a prickle up Hermione's spine, reaffirming the sick feeling in her stomach that had haunted her for almost a day now.

"Something isn't right." Hermione said in almost a whisper, not meeting Tom Riddle's eyes, "And I think it has to do with the time travel. There's no way that having two of the same person present at the same time could be. . . good." Tom looked over at her with interest, his eyebrows raised slightly,

"No Hermione, you are entirely correct." He paused, "I do not know if two of the same person can continue to live in the same timeline. At the moment, however, we have more pressing matters to attend to."

"We?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow. Tom chuckled,

"Yes, we. Look out at the lake." He instructed briskly. Hermione did as she was told, but did so confusedly,

"Am I supposed to be looking for something?" She asked, unsure of what he wanted her to see.

"Exactly. Something we both have an interest in. A particular magical artifact, the diadem of Ravenclaw, has been cast into the lake by either Abraxas Malfoy or Clayton Lestrange." Tom explained, stepping behind Hermione and placing both of his hands lightly on her shoulders, "You offered to help me once. Now's your chance to fulfill that offer. I'll let you wear the diadem if you can help me find it in that lake." He muttered quietly, his lips very close to her ear.

"You want me to. . . dive into the lake?" Hermione asked, gulping. She had been in the lake once before for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, of course, but that had been unpleasant enough and in a controlled situation. This. . . this was madness.

"Yes. You won't be without help though, of course." Tom Riddle assured her. At that moment, a most unusual sound met Hermione's hears; pronounced hissing, very familiar hissing, just like. . .

Then, it hit her: just like Harry used to do. Parseltongue. Tom turned his head, the unusual language coming from his lips in a reply. He then looked over at Hermione and added something else in Parseltongue. Suddenly, Nagini came into view, hissing a brief response before smiling a wan smile at Hermione,

"Hermione, so sorry to talk in that language in front of you. It's rude, I know." She apologized, before stopping in front of Hermione and Tom, sighing, "It's just a habit. Imagine being called a freak your entire life and then meeting someone who can actually understand you." Her eyes flickered over to Tom, "He's the only other Parselmouth I've ever met."

Hermione could definitely understand her frustration; after all, people treated Harry horribly after his gift was revealed their second year. But, suddenly many things made sense. All of those times Tom and Nagini had been whispering, they had been speaking Parseltongue, probably things that they didn't want anyone else to know.

"No, it's fine." Hermione said, attempting to appear convincing. Nagini nodded and looked over at Tom,

"Is she coming too, then?" She asked.

"Yes, and so am I. The three of us should be able to locate the diadem." Tom affirmed, nodding his head and pulling out his wand. Feeling as if she didn't have much of a choice, Hermione drew her wand as well, ready to use a bubble head charm and some other spells to prevent hypothermia.

"So, do we just. . . swim around and look for the diadem?" Hermione asked softly. It seemed like an impossible task in such a large lake.

"Basically. I believe Abraxas had enough sense to put some kind of enlargement spell on it, though, so it should be fairly large and glowing." Tom explained, stripping off his outer robes and his button-up shirt and pants, leaving him in boxers and a tight undershirt. Hermione could not help but stare for a moment, but he caught her eye and smirked.

"We'll find it." Nagini assured him, pulling her wand out of her pocket and placing it beside Tom's clothes and removing her robes as well. Hermione followed suit, shivering in the cold air, but kept ahold of her wand.

"Don't you need your wand, Nagini?" She asked curiously. Nagini shook her head,

"Oh, no." She said without explanation, walking towards the water, "I'll take the right corner, Tom can take the left, and Hermione can take the center." Tom followed suit, standing next to the cold water,

"Agreed. We'll meet back here in an hour."

"What if someone gets into trouble?" Hermione asked, stepping up the water between the two.

"If anyone gets into trouble. . . well, find a way to get out of it." Tom said cheekily, "You'll be fine." The reassurance was, surprisingly reassuring, "Are you using a bubble head charm?" He asked Hermione.

"Yes, are you?" Tom nodded in response, "But what about Nagini?" She asked, still confused as to why Nagini's wand was laying beside Tom's clothes.

"Oh, she prefers to go in her Animagus form." Tom replied, seeming unconcerned, "Ready?"

Hermione did not respond, however, her eyes fixated on the spot where Nagini had been standing but moments before. Instead, a giant snake sat in her place, but with distinctively human eyes, the disturbing trait that she had never noticed in the future snake. Beside her sat the Nagini that she was familiar with, the snake from her nightmares, future horcrux and killer.

Nagini, Lord Voldemort's treasured pet, was an Animagus.

**Author's Note: Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you so much for your patience and taking the time to read! I apologize for the long update time, but I am afraid that a lack of time for fanfiction is becoming the new normal. But, not to worry; I am determined to finish this story!**

**And, for your enjoyment, another chapter, and this one was a big one, and difficult to write. So, two Tom Riddle's and running around and Nagini is an Animagus. What do you think of the new developments? How do you think that Hermione will respond to these new revelations? I am interested to hear your response to this chapter, so leave a review if you have the time.**

**Cheers!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Hermione stared at Nagini – the snake – in shock, feeling unable to move, unable to breath, unable to do anything but stare at the massive killer reptile sitting at her feet. Had she looked over at Tom, she would have noticed his eyebrows raised in piqued interest, but she could not seem to look at Tom. Nagini the snake stared back at Hermione, hissing something to which Tom nodded.

"Indeed. Have you never seen an Animagus before, Granger? Come on, we've got a pressing task before us and not much time to do it." Tom snapped impatiently before wading a few steps out into the river. He waved his wand and nonverbally cast a bubble head charm which enclosed his head in a massive bubble. Meanwhile, Nagini slithered into the water and ducked under the surface, swimming off quickly. Hermione sighed, wading into the water, her heart beating nervously at Tom Riddle's careless use of her real last name and genuinely hoping that Nagini had not noticed. She gripped her wand in her hand, beginning to cast a bubble head charm on herself when Tom Riddle grabbed her hand, shaking his head, "No, come on, we have other matters to tend to." He removed his own charm and stepped out of the water, dragging Hermione with him.

"But I thought we had to look for the diadem. . ." Hermione said confusedly. Really, she couldn't keep up with Riddle's thought process sometimes.

"We are looking for the diadem, but it's not here. I just needed Nagini out of the way." Tom explained, pulling Hermione off in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, but leaving his and Hermione's clothes by the lake.

"Why don't you want Nagini to know?" Hermione asked curiously, stopping and looking at him for a response.

"Nagini doesn't need to know." Tom replied simply.

"Then why do I need to know?" Hermione continued, not entirely trusting him. Something strange was going on here.

"I think you can help me." He responded, grabbing her hand again, "Now come on, we're wasting time."

Hermione wrinkled her nose, "Tom, I do not feel inclined to run around in simply my knickers and my undershirt in the freezing cold." She said pointedly. Tom looked back at her for a moment and chuckled,

"Well, I feel inclined for you to. Besides, my eyes are content with the display, and so should you." Hermione scowled, wrenching her hand out of his grip and stubbornly crossing her arms. Even though the knickers of the 1940s were more like loose shorts of her time, she still felt exposed.

"Why do you do that?" She questioned suddenly. Tom looked at her with wide, innocent eyes,

"What?"

"That." Hermione said shortly, "It's annoying."

"What is?" Tom continued to respond innocently enough. She graced his response with another scowl,

"Your flirting." She snapped, but despite her best efforts, she could not stop the blush from rising to her cheeks. He noticed the red tinge on her cheeks and smirked,

"Given your reaction, I would say that you like it." He quipped back, but then shrugged, "But, then again, who said that I'm even flirting with you, Miss Granger? Why would I be interested in you?" The question was definitely an insult, and Hermione tried to stop the angry flush from taking over her cheeks in place of her embarrassment.

"Oh, come off your high horse, Tom Riddle. You just made an innuendo two minutes ago." Said Hermione with a dignified roll of her eyes.

"You didn't answer my question." Tom said back.

"You never answer my questions." Hermione retorted.

"Doesn't matter. Now, tell me, why would I be interested?" He said, gently reaching over and slipping her fingers delicately between his own, "Please, tell me." Hermione scoffed,

"I think that's a question that you can only answer for yourself." She said in a clipped tone, her annoyance growing as his fingers tightened around her own. The more she tried to pull her hand away, the more his fingers would squeeze hers until she found herself in the iron grip of Tom Riddle and nothing to show for it. He simply smirked as they entered the shade of the Forbidden Forest.

"One of the benefits and drawbacks of working against yourself is that you know exactly what you would do. You see, when I was attending Hogwarts, I only knew that the diadem was in Albania, but after several years, I was able to discover the exact location. When I returned to this time, I needed the diadem, and it would be only a matter of Apparating outside the realm of Hogwarts to the exact location." Tom explained to Hermione as he led her carefully through the gloom of the Forbidden Forest, "But when I sent Abraxas and Lestrange to retrieve the diadem, I discovered that my past self had successfully broken out of his prison temporarily. I went after Abraxas and Lestrange myself to Albania and took the diadem and left a replica in the tree hollow. The diadem that Abraxas enlarged and threw into the lake is not the real diadem." He stopped in front of a hollow tree and let go of Hermione's hand, pulling out his wand and tracing a complicated pattern before reaching into the tree, "This, however, is."

In his hand was the delicately beautiful and potentially dangerous diadem of Ravenclaw, glowing faintly blue in the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. The air around the diadem seemed to be humming, and Hermione could feel a longing to hold the diadem, put it on her head, answer all of the questions to her latest problems. The diadem had not felt this way when Harry retrieved it for a brief time in the future – there was no way that it was a Horcrux yet.

"Wouldn't you love to put it on?" Hermione started a little; when had Tom moved so close to her? His dark eyes glittered in the gloom, "Just wear it for a moment, and you could know everything you needed to know." His soft voice tickled her ears, pulling her in. Hermione finally felt brave enough to look up at him, trying to ignore his enticing words,

"I don't think that it would be wise to put it on just now." Hermione said softly. Tom tilted his head to the side a little,

"Oh?" He asked, resting his hand on the tree that was behind Hermione's back. Hermione looked back at the tree that her back now touched, realizing that she had not even noticed that she had stepped back closer to the tree, "Why would it be so bad, Hermione? Don't you wish that you knew how to solve your little problem?" Hermione's eyes widened a little, but she tried to hide the reaction,

"I do not have a problem I need to solve."

"Liar." Tom hissed, leaning in closer to her, his forehead practically touching her own as he looked down on her. The gleam in his eyes was almost. . . possessive, "Do not lie to me, Hermione Granger. I always know when someone is lying."

Hermione tried to respond, but words stuck in her throat. He was too close, but her wand was in her hand. She dared not put it up, however; there was no where that she could run.

"Do you want to hex me, Hermione?" Tom asked with a smug smile, looking down at her wand hand that had barely moved, "That's not very nice. Especially considering that I am only trying to help you."

"You don't want to help me; you just want to help yourself." Hermione snapped before she could stop herself. Tom smirked down at her,

"Exactly. Now, put on the diadem." He said, pressing the diadem into her hand. She could feel its magic pull her in, tempting her.

"No." Hermione said flatly, trying to push the diadem away.

"I insist." Tom said more firmly, taking yet another step closer to her. Her back hit the tree and finally, her patience had run out.

"Back up." Hermione snapped, her wand up in a flash and jabbing into his chest. Eyebrows raised, Tom took a step back, slowly putting his hands up in mock surrender,

"Fine." He responded with a shrug, "An interesting reaction, considering that wearing the diadem was one of your terms for helping me to find it." Hermione remained mute at this statement, not trusting herself to speak. Something about putting on the diadem when Tom Riddle was around did not seem like a good idea. He took another step away from her, replacing the diadem back into the tree hollow, "Then again, there is the interesting question of why you wanted to help me find it in the first place."

"Maybe I just don't want to wear the diadem when you're around." Hermione said carefully, keeping her wand trained on him. Not that she would actually hex him anyway; Tom Riddle would not allow himself to be caught defenseless so easily. There had to be something else going on here.

"Why not?" Tom questioned, "Don't you trust me?"

Hermione fought the urge to laugh at such an absurd question, shaking her head a little and refusing to respond.

"That might be a good thing." Tom conceded, pulling his hand out of the tree hollow, gripping his yew wand in his hand firmly, "That's why you didn't hex me just now, isn't it? You knew I would not be so defenseless."

"Yes." Hermione said succinctly, lowering her wand arm put keeping her wand firmly between her fingers. Tom smiled widely,

"Good, so you did want to hex me." Hermione could kick herself for not being more careful in her response, "Why?"

"Why did you back me up against a tree and try to force me to wear the diadem?" Hermione countered saucily. She was sick and tired of his constant word games and attempts to draw information out from her.

"For the same reason that you wanted to hex me."

"And what would that be?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes the slightest bit.

"So confrontational." Tom said lightly, and Hermione could feel her blood begin to practically boil at his arrogant and belittling tone. The smug smirk that worked its way up to his lips confirmed that he was enjoying pestering her greatly.

"I'm not playing your game anymore." Hermione finally spat, turning on her heel and taking a few steps back in the direction of the lake. Suddenly, Tom's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, wheeling her around to face him and slamming her back into a tree, his eyes boring into her own.

"You _live_ for this game." He hissed through clenched teeth in a spitting statement of barely contained fury. Before she could move, his hand wrenched her wand out of her grip and threw it aside, along with his own wand, "You are nothing – nothing – without it." One of his hands gripped the wrist of the hand that she had reached out to push him back, his hand pushing her arm above her head and against the tree, his other hand grabbing her other wrist down by her side.

"Let me go, Tom!" Hermione snapped, attempting to pull one of her wrists out of his iron grip without success. His face floated closer to her and he sneered at her struggling, tightening his grip to a painful degree. She yelped and he scowled again.

"I thought you were better than this, Hermione, but at least you're not begging." Tom said coldly, holding her firmly as she jerked again under his grip in a desperate attempt to be freed from his grasp, "I know you're better, though. Better than the idiots at this school, better than Nagini. . . maybe even better than Dumbledore." Hermione stopped struggling for a moment, looking up into his eyes and fighting the urge to cower at the red that flashed in them.

"Get off of me." She said calmly, her voice shaking ever so slightly with anger at his treatment of her. He did not even seem to hear her, although his eyes were locked on her own.

"You need me, just like you need this game." Tom said, his voice suddenly silky smooth and contained, although his grip did not loosen, "You need me." Hermione's eyes narrowed,

"I don't need you." She spat. Tom suddenly pulled her to the side, and she tripped over a tree root, landing hard on the forest floor. He followed her down, landing on his knees and pinning her to the ground, his hands on her shoulders,

"YOU ARE NOTHING WITHOUT ME." He roared furiously. Hermione reached up and tried to push him away, but he slung his legs over her own, using his knees to pin her legs down and trapping her hands above her head with one hand, his over pushing her shoulder down.

"Get off of me!" Hermione yelled again, partly in panic, partly in anger.

"Don't you get it?" Tom shouted in her face, "You're not as daft as the others, so you must. You just won't admit it." He snarled, "I _define_ you. Without me, you having nothing to work for, nothing to solve." He paused, his breathing heavy and ragged, "Nothing to hate, nothing to love, and nothing to fear."

Hermione stopped struggling for a moment, staring up at him in shock. He knew. He had to know her intentions. Her blood ran cold; he was going to kill her. He had to kill her now that he knew. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her mind, to think of a way out.

"That's why you came to Hogwarts, isn't it, Hermione?" He suddenly said, his voice silky smooth and strangely soothing. His hand slid up from her shoulder to cup her cheek, his thumb gently rubbing patterns on her skin, "You wanted to kill me."

Hermione's eyes snapped open, staring up at him and saying neither yes or no. He clicked his tongue as his thumb continued to rub her cheek softly,

"Notice I said wanted in the past tense, because you know it too. You know that you need me to give you purpose, something to oppose and loathe. If I am not here, nature despises a vacuum. Someone else will come and take my place, and you prefer me, a familiar enemy, don't you my dear?" He continued softly, tilting her head up slightly to look him directly in the eyes.

"You're wrong." Hermione said, but it sounded flimsy in her ears. It must have sounded weak to Tom as well because he frowned, shaking his head,

"No, I am afraid that just won't do. You see, Dumbledore acts much the same, both now and in the future. He talks as if I were different than who I am, what I am, then the world would be better. But it would be no better in the state that it is now, because someone else would come and take my place as the antagonist. I can be patient, though. I can be the antagonist. Do you know why, Hermione, my dearest Hermione?" It was a sarcastically rhetorical question, and Hermione did not dare to answer, "Because I know the world that I am fighting for will be better than this, this pathetic world inhabited by filthy squibs and mudbloods. A world where the magical are free to be magical, and do not have to worry about upsetting disgustingly stupid muggles. That is my world, Hermione. That is the future that I am fighting for, and I will be its leader."

"You will _never_ be what you think you will be." Hermione retorted, confident in her statement, "And I don't need you to survive. I never have, and I never will." Tom shook his head,

"No, Hermione. You do. What would happen to you when I die? What sort of shambles would you be left with then?" He questioned, his head leaning down closer to her face. Hermione shut her eyes for a moment, trying to chase away the thoughts of a dying Ginny, drunken Ron, and wandering Harry. What was she left with when Voldemort was dead?

A lack of purpose, that was all. And what did her final purpose revolve around?

Destroying Voldemort. Again. Voldemort.

"You're sick." Hermione finally said weakly, opening her eyes once more to see Tom Riddle still looming over her, still pinned to the ground by his strength.

"Possibly." Tom confirmed quietly, "You really hate me, don't you, Hermione?" She didn't respond and he sighed, "You have to hate me to come to Hogwarts just to try and kill me. I did find it suspicious, you know, when I returned to the past and found an unfamiliar transfer student at Hogwarts who was brilliant and whom I have never seen before. Something about you was different from everyone else from the very beginning, but I could never say what. I felt like I should know you already. An Occulmens, a false identity, a spitfire personality, a very bad liar, I might add. . . you intrigued me, Hermione Granger. You still intrigue me." He leaned close, his lips brushing her ear, "I will discover your secret eventually."

"You already did. I wanted to kill you." Hermione confirmed quietly; there was no use in denying it. As he said, she was a terrible liar, and he would do what he wanted to anyway. She tried her best to ignore the tingle that ran down her spine as his lips pulled away from her ear and he looked back into her eyes again,

"No, I don't think that's quite it. There's something else, I believe, having to do with your desire to kill me. After all, why would a girl whom I don't even know hate me so much?" He questioned, his face moving close to hers once again, their foreheads practically touching, "You don't have to answer. I know you'll just tell me another flimsy lie, so don't even bother this time." He added, his lips curling into a smirk.

Hermione never hated him more until that moment; smirking, pinning her down onto the forest floor, mocking her. Yet, she felt a strange pull towards him, wanting to be close to him, to take in his undeniably intoxicating scent. A feeling of frustration pooled in her stomach.

"I hate you." She finally choked out, her throat dry and not wanting to respond. Tom's smirk slipped and a neutral expression settled on his face instead,

"I am used to being hated." He mumbled softly, his gaze slipping from her eyes and looking past her to the forest floor. His tone was flat, without request for pity or empathy. It was brutally honest; he was used to being hated. Tom Riddle's entire life, he was hated, and at the first bit of kindness from a strange old man who set his wardrobe on fire, he did not understand how to respond with kindness, "You spoke to me once of caring, love, whatever you wish to call it. How without it, there's nothing worth living for. I said it wasn't worth the pain, and it's true. Because no matter what you do, there is no such thing as unconditional love, because hate is overpowering, and stronger. What was your motivation for killing me, Hermione? You don't have to tell me, because I will find out. But I do know this; it was rooted in hatred for a situation, not love for a person or thing; hatred for me, not love for anyone else."

His words were chillingly accurate, and Hermione could not help but agree with him. Why did she want to kill him? To save Ron because she loved him? Well, yes, but also because she hated his abuse and his drinking, and because she hated Voldemort. She hated the Death Eater who cursed Ginny and killed her parents. She hated so much she thought she would be sick if she hated any more.

And yet, somehow, she did hate more. She hated that Tom Riddle was right.

"Hatred is our underlying motivation." Tom whispered quietly, his thumb continuing to gently stroke her cheek. The juxtaposition between his words and his gentle actions wrought confusion in Hermione's mind, "I told you that I define you. I do, Hermione. I define you because you hate me. I define more than just you, then. One could say the more who hate me, the more of the world I define. And I will define the whole world."

"Tom. . ." Hermione began, and she hated even more as she reached up and slipped her hand behind his neck, but this time, she hated herself for bringing his lips to hers, for wanting to taste his lips, for knowing that her kiss was rooted in hatred, and in pity blossoming in her heart for him. He did not fight her. He returned her kiss, his hand sliding up and tangling in her curly hair, his other hand resting on her waist. Finally, he pulled away from her, his lips only inches from hers,

"Do not pity me, Hermione." He muttered softly, but she could still feel her heart aching for one who would never know how to really love. His fingers caressed her hair, but his eyes were still cold, "And do not call me Tom. Tom Riddle was a boy whose heart ached to be love, to feel affection, and longed for the approval of others, approval and love that he would never be able to have. Tom Riddle was a boy whose mother was a squib who seduced a man with a love potion and died giving birth to a child so disgusting that his lowly muggle father didn't even want him. Tom was a boy who desired pity." He paused, pulling her up into a sitting position and then stood, pulling her up with him. He slipped his arm around her middle to her lower back and held her against him as he looked into her eyes, "I am not Tom Riddle."

Hermione looked back into his unfeeling eyes, feeling his body against her that was so warm and alive, and yet so empty. Lit inside was the fire of hatred, and it was burning everything. The words his lips said next she dreaded, but she listened anyway. She listened because no matter what he said, she did pity him, and she could not kill him. He was right, she was trapped; he defined her. Tom Riddle's eyes bored a hole into her, and his next words brought a chill to her soul and the white hot sting of hatred to her heart:

"I am Lord Voldemort."

**Author's Note: So, here it is. A full chapter of Tomione for your reading pleasure, though perhaps not quite the Tomione you were expecting. I pictured Hermione as fundamentally conflicted and confused during this chapter, not sure if she could touch the fire and avoid getting burned. What do you think of Tom's secrecy around Nagini? What of Hermione's kiss and of his final revelation of his new name? Leave a review or shoot me a PM and let me know what you think.**

**Note: There were a few typos that I fixed just now (1/3/14). Sorry for that!**

**Cheers!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Warning: Chapter contains violence.**

**Chapter 23**

They walked back to the lake in silence, the diadem staying safely into the tree hollow in the Forbidden Forest. Hermione had no doubt that Tom Riddle would slip back into the forest during the night and retrieve the diadem, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. Lord Voldemort. She looked over at him for a moment, her eyes sliding up the graceful slope of his pale neck to his face, chiseled like some kind of greek god, a mass of dark hair covering his head. How different he was than the skeletal, hairless, noseless face and red eyes of the future. But how similar he was too; his mindless hatred of the magically impure, his merciless actions, his inability to feel love. . . he was becoming the future Lord Voldemort. After all, he had taken on the name to define himself, but something told Hermione that Tom Riddle was not entirely dead yet.

Or, at least, he wasn't quite dead to Hermione yet. He had come back a few years in the past for a reason, to fix some grievous error he had made as a seventeen year old boy. A man, fixing the mistakes of his childhood. What the mistake was, she did not entirely know, but he had gotten sidetracked by her, Hermione. The future Lord Voldemort would not allow that to happen, so maybe even though he was similar, he wasn't yet heartless.

Her similarities to Tom Riddle also chilled her heart, but she attempted to push away the thoughts.

They arrived at the lake, and it wasn't until that moment that Hermione realized that she had still been pulled against Tom Riddle's side, his arm still wrapped around her waist. They stopped walking and she did not make a move to pull away from the warm body at her side, and Tom did not seem to want to move either. His dark eyes scanned the lake, seeming to be looking for something. After a few more moments, he moved away from Hermione. The cold air stung her side where he had been.

"Nagini should be here." He said softly, kicking off his shoes and wading into the water, casting a bubble head charm over his head nonverbally. He suddenly looked back at Hermione and wordlessly tossed her wand to her, which Hermione had not even realized he was holding. Hermione kicked off her shoes as well and waded into the lake, casting her bubble head charm and steeling herself for the impact of the cold water. She ducked under the water for a quick moment, her body screaming in protest at the cold.

When she came back up, she saw the Tom Riddle had done the same thing. She crossed her arms over her body, shivering in the cold air. When his eyes locked on hers, something within them jumped, but she couldn't tell what.

"Nagini will be back soon, then we can cast a drying and warming spell." He said quietly. Hermione nodded, looking over at the goose bumps rising on his pale skin.

"I know." Hermione responded just as softly. She suddenly felt very tired, confused, and cold, and she desired nothing more than to return to the castle and curl up near the warmth of the fire. It seemed to be ages since she felt warm. When she looked back up at Tom again, something was in his eyes, but his emotions were so unfamiliar to her that she couldn't even begin to name what it was.

She was saved from her confusion by the arrival of a giant snake slithering out of the water to her right. Nagini slid a good ways up to the bank before the snake's body began to contort, extend, and change. Soon, Nagini, her dark curls dripping wet and her skin covered with goosebumps, stood before them, shaking her head,

"I couldn't find it." She admitted softly, spitting some water out of her mouth. She stumbled over to her wand still laying atop Tom's clothes and quickly dried herself. Both Hermione and Tom climbed out of the water as well, casting drying and warming spells. Hermione quickly reached for her clothes and began to dress once more.

"Neither could we." Tom replied crisply, "But it if of no concern. If we could not find it, nobody will be able to. The diadem is safe for the moment." He grabbed his own clothes and began to pull them on, buttoning up his shirt quickly and smoothing it out neatly. Nagini looked at him for a long moment before nodding a little and pulling on her robe once more.

"Okay, Tom. But only if you say so." She said somewhat doubtfully. Hermione noticed a nerve jump in Tom's neck at the use of his muggle first name, but Nagini didn't seem to notice. Or, perhaps, she pretended not to notice, "If someone else finds that diadem, something could go terribly wrong." She added softly, taking a step to stand in front of Tom Riddle, seeming to forget that Hermione was even there, "All of your work will be lost."

"Nobody will find the diadem." Tom replied simply, staring down at Nagini coldly. He leaned a little closer to her, "Or is there something you wish to tell me, Nagini?" Nagini straightened her shoulders, lifting her chin to look back at him defiantly,

"Nothing, Tom. Nothing at all." She responded in a confident tone before turning on her heel and starting to walk back to the castle. Hermione stared after her before looking back at Tom, but of course his face was as unreadable as ever. Nagini suddenly looked back, "Are you coming, Hermione? We have class you know." She said cheekily.

"Of course, Nagini." Hermione said quickly, jogging towards Nagini to catch up to her. She didn't dare a look back at Tom, who followed behind the two girls in carefully measured steps. The tension in the air was so thick that Hermione could practically taste it. Hermione looped her arm through Nagini's waiting arm and they walked back to the castle briskly, followed by Tom Riddle.

The entrance hall of Hogwarts was quiet and still as they entered, their footsteps echoing loudly off the walls as they walked, the front doors closing with a bang and cutting off the influx of cold air. Hermione looked around, seeing and hearing no one,

"Where is everybody?" Hermione questioned, a prickle running up her spine at the sight of the dim and dark castle. Tom stopped walking behind them, and Hermione and Nagini stopped as well, looking back at him. His eyebrows were knitted, and he seemed confused,

"I am not sure." He admitted, pulling out his wand, "Class is not in session, there should be students here." He spoke softly, almost as if speaking to himself.

"Miss Blishwick, Miss Kosmachevskaia, Mister Riddle." Hermione jumped at the use of her fake name, turning around to see the Headmaster, Dippet, standing at the foot of the staircase. He looked tired and worn, dark circles forming under his eyes, "I must say, we were beginning to be worried about you."

"We were just taking a stroll, professor. Is something the matter?" Tom asked quickly, taking a step forward towards the Headmaster, his eyebrows knitted in concern. Dippet sighed wearily,

"Yes. There has been another attack. I sent the students back to their dormitories." He paused, his face becoming any paler, "Miss Blishwick would not remember this incident, but Tom, Nagini. . . it's a Hufflepuff first-year named Patricia Jennings. She has been petrified."

Hermione stared at Dippet, "Petrified?" She asked in disbelief. He nodded,

"I am afraid so, Miss Blishwick. We are confining all of the student to their dormitories in an attempt to protect them, so I will escort you three down to the dungeons immediately." He said, pulling out his wand and holding it firmly in his hand. Nagini nodded, following Dippet and pulling Hermione with her. Tom stood still for a moment, and then slowly followed Dippet as well,

"Professor, Jennings, the girl who was attacked. . . is she muggle born?" He asked slowly, carefully. Dippet sighed, stopping and turning to look at Tom,

"Yes, she is." He admitted softly. Tom's eyes widened, and Hermione could tell that it was genuine shock,

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened again." He stated, running a hand through his dark locks, "How?" He asked genuinely.

"How indeed." Dippet responded with a sigh, beginning to walk again, "I had no doubt that Hagrid was the culprit, and yet the Chamber is open again even though you chased off the monster, Tom. It is disturbing, but for now I must ask all three of you to stay in the Slytherin dormitories. Help to keep the younger students safe. Tom, I might send for you later along with the prefects." Dippet said firmly, stopping in front of the wall that led to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Yes, professor. We will keep the students safe." Tom replied crisply, turning to the wall, "_Pureblood._" He pronounced clearly and the wall slid aside to reveal the door to the Common Room. He stepped inside and Nagini and Hermione followed him closely.

"Oh, Merlin! There you are!" Avery exclaimed upon them entering, his face clearly showing a sign of relief. He stood up and walked towards them quickly, followed by Rosier and Wilkes who looked somewhat disturbed as well.

"Yes, yes, we're all fine." Nagini snapped quickly, chancing a look over to Tom, who still looked confused. He walked over to the couch slowly and sank down on it, not saying a word and not meeting any of their eyes.

"What's wrong with him?" Avery whispered to Hermione, gesturing to Tom's back. Hermione shrugged just as Tom Riddle stood up from the couch, walking past them to the staircase,

"If you require me, I'll be in my living quarters." He said crisply, mounting the spiral staircase and walking out of sight. Nagini looked at Hermione for a moment, nodding her head a little, and then turned around and followed Tom up the staircase. Hermione stayed put, turning back to Avery and the others,

"We're all fine. We were just out taking a walk when we heard the news. When did the attack happen?" She asked anxiously, following Avery, Rosier, and Wilkes back to the couches and taking a seat near the fire, stretching out her hands to warm them. She glanced out of the window and saw that the first snow of the year was beginning to fall – it was much later than usual.

"We don't know, exactly. They found her about 30 minutes ago on the second floor. No one saw what happened, but it's happened before." Avery sighed, sitting down next to Hermione on the couch before continuing and lowering his voice, "You might have heard about it, but two years ago, Hogwarts was almost closed. Some half-breed brute opened up the Chamber of Secrets and released a monster on the school. A couple students were petrified and one, a mudblood Ravenclaw named Myrtle, died. Tom was responsible for both chasing off the monster and catching the culprit." Avery explained quickly. Hermione tried to ignore his prejudiced language and looked confused,

"But. . . if the monster is gone, what's attacking the students now?" She questioned.

"That is a strange question indeed, Blishwick." Wilkes contributed, kneeling down to be level with her sitting on the couch, "If indeed the Chamber has been opened, it is possible that the monster has someone been snuck back into the school. Or, it could be _someone_ who's attacking the students." Hermione shook her head,

"First, Abraxas, Lestrange, and Black. Now, it's some first-year Hufflepuff. . . there's no connection." She said, frustrated. Avery sighed,

"I have to agree with you. Right now, there's no connection." He paused, looking into the fire and thinking, "I guess we just have to wait for something to turn up. Someone will get to the bottom of this."

* ' * ' *

Nagini arrived at the top of the staircase, pausing for a moment before knocking on Tom Riddle's door. After a moment, the door swung open by itself, presumably by some spell cast by Tom himself, who was currently sitting on his couch staring into the fire that burned in the small fireplace present in his living room. Nagini walked in slowly, pulling the door closed behind her. The room was familiar, but cold, as if someone didn't want her to be there. She took a few steps into the room, waiting to be acknowledged by Tom. He was oddly silent, and seemed to be in a dangerous mood.

"Can I help you?" He asked suddenly, his eyes snapping over to lock on her own. Nagini reached up and brushed a piece of curly dark hair from her face subconsciously, walking towards Tom and stopping in front of him, not daring to sit down on the couch.

"Why did you open the Chamber again?" Nagini asked bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest, "Is that what you did while Hermione and I were swimming in the lake?" Tom narrowed his eyes, reaching up and grabbing her arm and pulling her roughly down to the couch beside him. His eyes flashed red, and she could tell that she had made him angry. How different from the visits to his room the previous year, where he had pulled her down to him for a very different reason than to injure her. Even Tom Riddle could not escape human urges and she had been there to satisfy them, but he had always been cold and impersonal. After they were done, she got up, dressed, and left his room. They never stayed in bed together, and they certainly never fell asleep together. In fact, Nagini had a suspicion that he changed the sheets on his bed before he went to sleep, but she could never confirm that.

But that was not Tom Riddle's intention now. In fact, he had not slept with her in quite some time; technically several years for him, since this was the future Tom Riddle she was dealing with, it had only been since the end of the summer for her. No matter; she could let him go easily enough. Whether she could get away from his influence, however, remained to be seen. She doubted that she could. Tom's grip on her arm tightened and he stared into her eyes,

"Do you really think that I would be so foolish to open the Chamber of Secrets again while Dumbledore is still at this school?" He hissed through his clenched teeth, clearly furious, "How much of an idiot do you think I am?"

"I don't think you're an idiot, obviously." Nagini snapped back, "It just made sense. Who else could have opened it?" Tom rolled his eyes,

"_Obviously_, Tom Riddle." He retorted, mimicking her tone from her previous statement, "I just don't know how he got out of his prison where I left him. Of course, we do have the same mind, but mine is more developed, so I do not understand how he continues to escape." Nagini shrugged,

"Okay, so he got out of his prison again. That's not terribly important right now considering that we don't even know where he is at the moment. He could be miles away by now." She pressed, looking him in the eyes.

"Oh, no. He won't leave Hogwarts." Tom replied, dismissing her words with a wave of his hand, "I'll find him soon enough, as soon as Dippet sends for me to gather the prefects. It won't be long, now." He paused, pulling his hand away from the grip he had on her arm, seemingly deep in thought.

"Why would he do this?" Tom suddenly asked, shaking his head, "I don't get it. Why release the monster now? Why open the Chamber right under Dumbledore's nose?"

"Maybe he wants to be found." Nagini suggested quietly.

"I don't think that's quite it. He would have just gone to Dumbledore if that was the case." Tom pointed out, pausing, "And, he wouldn't have gotten rid of Alphard Black either. Black's the only one who never let his suspicion of me go. Had Black been at Hogwarts when the Chamber was opened, he would go straight to Dumbledore and Dippet and raise his concern. No, if Tom Riddle wanted to be found, he would have simply gone to the Headmaster or to Dumbledore."

"How long is this going to go on?" Nagini suddenly asked.

"How long is what going to go on?" Tom replied, tilting his head to the side as he looked at her, his expression guarded.

"I don't think that you and your younger self can continue to exist at the same time. It's paradoxical. And yet. . ." Nagini trailed off, knitting her eyebrows in confusion.

"And yet?" Tom prodded her, his dark eyes fixed on her. Nagini sighed,

"And yet, I'm not entirely sure that you can go back into the future. What happens anyway? Are you still there in the future or did you just disappear entirely and come back here?" Nagini asked, finally voicing the questions she had been wondering about for ages. As soon as she dared to look into Tom's eyes, though, she knew that she asked the wrong questions. The only worse question she could have asked would be "why," but at least she knew better than that. In fact, she had a feeling that he still was not pleased at her knowing his secret at all, but that couldn't be helped.

"I'll leave you to your own theorizing, Nagini. I don't think you need to know the particulars to do your job." Tom said simply, standing up and walking around the back of the couch, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Now, focus and tell me if something comes to you." He instructed, sliding his hands up and into her hair on either side of her head, massaging lightly.

Nagini closed her eyes, focusing on the soothing sensation of his fingers in her hair and allowed her mind to wander, to reach for the unseen, the unknown. . . she possessed the rare gift of foresight. A Seer. The gift ran in her family, which is why she attended Hogwarts to develop it specifically. Her interest in Transfiguration had taken her off of this original course, but her parents still hoped that she would be able to teach Divination once she finished her schooling.

Nagini began to reach towards the edges of her mind, grasping at faint tendrils of thoughts and pictures that slid by with surprising quickness. She finally managed to grasp onto one, pulling it towards her. There was no telling if the vision would be relevant, but she had the rare gift of calling visions to her with surprising accuracy.

Tom moved around her to kneel in front of her, his hands slipping onto her shoulders as he stared into her eyes. Slowly, her eyes began to roll back in her head, but this did not alarm him. Rather, it excited him; she must be having a vision. Hopefully, something useful. It was clear to him through Nagini's revelations that the future was changing, but she was also beginning to get an uncanny knack for discovering his plans. This was unacceptable, but he needed Nagini at the moment to know how he was changing his future. She suddenly gasped, and he fixed his attention on her.

"What is it, Nagini?" He coaxed gently, reaching up to smooth her curls. Her body shook a little and she shook her head, gasping again as her eyes remained rolled back in her head. "Speak to me, Nagini." Tom continued in his silky smooth voice, trying to keep his temper in check. She gasped again and closed her eyes, then they snapped open and she breathed hard for a minute before looking up to Tom's face with tears in her own eyes. Tom looked at her face, mildly surprised with the strong reaction that she was having to the vision that she saw.

"I need to go." Nagini said blankly, beginning to stand up from his couch.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me what you saw." He said bluntly, shoving her back down to the couch. Whatever this was, it had to be important.

"No." Nagini refused, but it lacked the flair and fire that normally accompanied her words. In fact, her face was sallow and pale, and she looked years older just within the few days. "Please don't ever ask me to retrieve a vision for you again." Tom stared down at her, his face beginning to show the anger he was feeling inside,

"Tell me, Nagini. Now." He hissed through his clenched teeth, his hand itching to draw out his wand. Nagini stared up at him,

"Please, I can't." She put her head in her hands, shaking her head slowly, "I just. . . can't."

"Why not?" Tom snapped impatiently, drawing his wand, "If you do not tell me, my dear Nagini, I do believe that I will have to make you tell me." Nagini looked from his wand to his face and saw the resolve. She bit her lip and closed her eyes.

"I saw you die." Nagini admitted in barely a whisper, opening her eyes and looking into his own. A vein jumped in Tom's neck and he suddenly swooped in, leaning over Nagini on the couch, his breath quickening.

"I. . . died?" He questioned incredulously, his breathing hard and unsteady, "How?"

"I can't tell you." Nagini replied, refusing to meet his gaze. He suddenly grabbed her, pressing her hard against the couch, his shaking hand pressing his wand into the side of her cheek,

"Tell me, or you will regret it forever." Tom hissed. Upon her defiant closing of her mouth, his hand lashed out, slapping her hard across the cheek. To this, she simply closed her eyes. With a frustrated snarl, his hands closed around her shoulders and slung her from the couch, sending her tumbling to the floor. Nagini did not resist as she landed on the ground and his foot kicked her side. She heard a sickening crack and stabbing pain, knowing that he must have broken a rib.

"_Crucio!_" He yelled, and she could not help a scream from escaping her mouth. Nagini felt a pain like she never had before as hot knives dug into her body from all over, the curse more intense than he had ever used before.

He stopped only a moment to cast a silencing spell around his small living room.

The curse resumed and Nagini screamed until she was coughing up blood, but her resolve held even as she thrashed on the ground in silent agony, nearly chocking on her own blood. Sweat rolled down her forehead and her breathing was rapid, shallow, and rattling as her throat would scream no more. Vaguely, she wondered if she could survive the intense curse for much longer.

Finally, the pain ceased and Nagini rolled over onto her stomach, her face pressed against the carpet as her body spasmed at the shots of pain still jolting through her, blood trickling from her mouth onto the carpet. Her eyes vaguely registered Tom Riddle suddenly kneeling beside her, his hand reaching to her neck to feel her pulse. It was faint, but it was there. He wordlessly scooped up the girl in his arms, carrying her into his bedroom and depositing her on his bed, brushing her hair away from her forehead as she slipped into unconsciousness.

"You'll be fine in a few hours." He mumbled into her ear, "We'll do it again sometime, dearest Nagini."

* ' * ' *

Hermione finally managed to excuse herself from Avery, Rosier, and Wilkes's company without seeming rude, although it took longer than she would prefer. She quickly dashed up the stairs and into her empty dormitory, moving through the room and to her own bed and chest of drawers. She carefully opened up her sock drawer and began to rummage through, searching for a tiny phial of golden potion that she would desperately need. Just as on her first day of potions her sixth year at Hogwarts, Slughorn had awarded her a phial of Felix Felicis as a reward for a particularly good potion brew. She was in the process of pulling the cork out of the top of the potion when she heard soft footsteps outside on the spiral staircase. She crept closer slowly and opened the door to find Tom Riddle walking past her dormitory, wand in hand. He stopped, looking at her with a distracted expression.

"Are you going to find Dippet?" Hermione finally asked, confused at his awkward silence.

"Hm, what?" He asked, seeming to snap out of a daze and shaking his head, "Oh, right. Dippet. No, no I'm not." He replied, tucking his wand back into his robes and straightening them, sucking in air between his teeth. He seemed on edge, nervous. . . strange.

"Are you alright?" Hermione questioned him slowly, taking a cautious step towards him. He looked over at her, his own troubled dark eyes meeting her curious ones and sighed.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." He insisted.

"You're lying." Hermione responded softly, not confrontational, just observant. Mild surprise showed on Tom's facial features and she sighed, "It's okay to not be sure of yourself all of the time."

"That implies weakness." Tom said crisply, seeming to snap out of his slight daze, "Although I welcome your concern." Again, another lie, but Hermione did not call this one out. He could tell by her expression that she knew that he was lying; his acting was not terribly convincing at the moment, "Fine. I just had to do something that I wish I didn't have to. That's all." He snapped, somewhat annoyed by her questioning.

"Okay." Hermione said simply, accepting his explanation, although not thinking for a moment that he had just tortured Nagini so terribly, "You know, Tom, you do not have to get used to being hated. Sometimes, people really do want to help you."

"Alright, you want to help?" Tom asked her, his tone guarded, "Then come with me." He began to walk down the stairs once again. Hermione hesitated only for a moment before following him.

"Where are we going?" She asked him as they arrived in the Common Room. It was now empty, since the students had returned to their dormitories or visited each other's dormitories.

"To find the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets, and we're going to close the Chamber together." Tom explained, exiting the Common Room. Hermione followed him into the empty hallway, somewhat confused. Tom Riddle did not need her help in closing the chamber – why did he need her now?

"What can I do to help?" Hermione asked him as she followed him up the stairs and to the entrance hall. Tom stopped looking around for a moment as if deciding which way to go.

"As you might have guessed, I am the heir of Slytherin. Only I can open and close the chamber. However, that also means that my younger self can open and close the chamber, and he keeps on escaping my restraints. We need to find him and return him to the Room of Requirement and make sure he stays there. This time, though, it has got to be someone who doesn't have my mind who traps him." Tom paused, looking down at her sharply, "And since we're alone, I'll expect you to call me by my true name." Hermione looked away for a moment,

"Okay. . . Voldemort."

* ' * ' *

Nagini eyes barely opened as she watched him leave the room. Wait, had that been a few minutes ago, or a few hours ago? She couldn't tell; time was a blur to her. She was unable to move or to respond. Even if she could, though, she would not leave. She couldn't leave. Tom Riddle had her in the palm of his hand. No matter what he did, she would always come back. He had the ultimate leverage over her, leverage that she found herself unable to take back. Who was she kidding? She could not let him go.

He had always been such a nice person when she first met him, but cold and challenging to understand. Nagini never backed away from a challenge. She got close to him, got to know him, tried to seduce him for fun, teased him, laughed at him, helped him with all of his little schemes.

But that's where she went wrong; Nagini had never been playing with Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle had always been playing with her, letting her think that she had any kind of control over him. In this moment of clarity, Nagini realized that the reason she got away with the tone of voice she talked in, her actions, and her attitude towards Tom Riddle was because she had something he needed. She was able to see the future, and that's what he required.

Or, that's what he required until now, because she possessed _it_. The final memory, the only one that he was after in the first place, and now she had it, and he would take it from her and he would be done with her. After this memory, he wouldn't need her anymore, and Nagini would be driven from his life forever, something she would not – could not – allow to happen. It pained her enough to watch the vision of his death, but it would pain her more to let him pass out of her life just to go to a different death. This way, she could be with him. Maybe this way, she could hold him for his last few moments.

Because, as insane as it was, Tom Riddle did indeed have the ultimate leverage over her.

Tom Riddle had her heart.

**Author's Note: This chapter was difficult for me to write: it is a defining chapter in Tom and Nagini's relationship, and it's hard to write such an unhealthy relationship between two people who are supposedly "friends." Anyway, I hope this provided a glimpse into the history between the two.**

**Unfortunately, my next update will not come as quickly, since I am headed back to university soon. Don't worry, though- I will continue to write. I hope that you have enjoyed these last few quick updates.**

**Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think about Tom and Nagini's relationship. Leave a review or shoot me a PM if you get the change. Cheers!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

As Hermione and the young Voldemort left the Slytherin Common Room, Hermione made sure to let Tom Riddle walk a few steps ahead, since she was not supposed to know where the Chamber of Secrets was. He walked briskly and with purpose.

"So, this Chamber of Secrets. . . is it the real Chamber of Secrets? The myth?" Hermione asked curiously, trying to play ignorant to the fact that the Chamber existed. Tom Riddle quickly began to mount the stairs,

"Well, it wouldn't be a myth if it was true, so yes. It can only be opened by the heir of Slytherin, which is me." He responded arrogantly, "Unfortunately, that also means that it can be opened by my younger self as well." He added on with a sigh. He suddenly paused, putting his hand up to motion to Hermione to stop. The only sound in the hallway was their breathing. Hermione stopped behind him, tense with anticipation. Tom Riddle looked back at her, his eyes locking on hers, "You have to understand that no other soul besides myself and Salazaar Slytherin have ventured into the Chamber of Secrets and come out alive. Do exactly as I tell you, or you will suffer the consequences. I can promise you that."

"What's inside of there?" Hermione asked, her breathing hitching in her throat. Fear pulled at the edges of her mind, but she pushed it away. Now was no time to lose her wits.

"A Basilisk." Tom Riddle said very quietly, looking seriously into her eyes, "I know that you're a clever witch, but I will reiterate. Do _not _look into its eyes. Do not even look at its reflection. I won't have you getting paralyzed or killed." His words were bossy and condescending, but underneath them was something else. Worry, perhaps?

_He's probably just worried that I'll get injured and be unable to help him. _Hermione thought bitterly. Out loud, she sighed,

"So what do you want me to do, exactly?" Tom resumed walking again, turning to the right and walking briskly through the dark corridors of the castle.

"Trap my younger self somehow. I don't care how you do it. Just don't kill him." Tom instructed succinctly, "I'm afraid that I won't be going down into the Chamber with you. I do not want him to know that I am there."

Hermione stopped outside of the entrance to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, staring at Tom Riddle in shock,

"Are you mad? How am I supposed to go down there without you? Won't the Basilisk kill me?" She asked incredulously, absolutely terrified. Tom shook his head quickly,

"The Basilisk is not down there at the moment; I can sense the creature at all times when it is on the move. It is currently in some plumbing down near the Hufflepuff dormitories." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Besides, I control the beast, remember?"

"And I'm supposed to trust in you to protect me?" Hermione shot back, staring him down with a serious gaze. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips,

"My _dear _Hermione, why on earth would I want to kill you?" He asked mockingly, taking a step closer to her and continuing his strange smirk, "Have you given me a reason to?" Hermione tilted her chin up stubbornly, looking him dead in the eye and being sure to put up her mental walls in case if he tried to use Legilimency.

"I admitted that I wanted to kill you, and you didn't react. Don't I have grounds to be suspicious?" She questioned carefully.

"Not a good enough reason; most people want to kill me." Tom parried easily. Hermione rolled her eyes,

"Don't you ever wonder why that is?" She asked, irritated with him. He chuckled, shrugging,

"Jealousy, I suppose." Tom Riddle replied with that same regal smirk, his dark eyes smoldering. Hermione hated how handsome he still looked even at that moment. She felt a slight tug at the corner of her mind and she kept her eyes locked on his defiantly,

"Don't even try." She hissed, aware that he was trying to use Legilimency. Tom broke eye contact and sighed,

"It was worth a try." He said, shrugging, "I really do need to teach you Legilimency, though, so you can teach me Occlumency. It will be useful if I finally meet anyone who possesses my level of talent." Hermione scowled at this,

"Can you not stop being a self-absorbed prat for five minutes while we deal with something extremely important?" She asked, not attempting to hide the irritation in her voice as she gestured to the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, "I am about to go down into the Chamber of Secrets by myself with only your word that you won't kill me with your little pet."

"I never said that I would not kill you." Tom said boredly, looking down at his wand in his hand and twirling it between his fingers absent-mindedly. When he looked up and saw Hermione's nervous expression, he laughed, "Okay, enough teasing. I won't kill you. It wouldn't be beneficial for me to kill you." He paused, "Besides, you're the one who offered to help me. Why was that, by the way?" He added thoughtfully. Hermione thought for a moment before answering, since the question caught her off guard.

"I'm not exactly sure." She admitted honestly, "You just looked like you needed help."

"I looked like I needed help? What is that supposed to mean?" Tom snapped, scowling at her response, "I don't need anyone's help. I can work alone." The words were surprisingly childish coming from his mature voice. Hermione sighed,

"That will be your undoing." She said softly. Something jumped in Tom's eyes and she knew that she had said the wrong thing,

"I don't have an 'undoing.'" He hissed, his hand reaching out to grab her upper arm, "I never have, and I never will. Tom Riddle was the boy who had weakness; he desired pity. I am Voldemort. I am _stronger_ than that."

"I do not believe that Tom Riddle is dead just yet." Hermione admitted softly, trying to ignore his strong grip on her arm, "You still need other people. You said it yourself; you haven't killed me yet because I am still beneficial to you. If you were stronger, you wouldn't need me, you wouldn't need Nagini. . . you wouldn't need anybody. And, you wouldn't have the need to justify yourself to me." Tom suddenly let go of her arm, sliding his hand up to rest on her shoulder as he studied her face thoughtfully. His anger seemed to have temporarily subsided, but Hermione knew better than to test him while he was in this volatile of a mood.

"An interesting point." He muttered softly, leaning closer to her ear, "But I hardly need Nagini any longer. In fact, soon I will not need her at all. And you, Miss Granger. . . who says that I _need_ you right now? Perhaps I am only tolerating you." His lips brushed the shell of her ear and she fought the shudder that threatened to run through her body, "Or perhaps not. To be honest, I hardly know myself."

He pulled away from her and Hermione took a deep breath, trying to regain her senses after his sudden closeness. Whenever he was close to her, she felt flustered, and she was ashamed of the weakness. At the moment, she would just have to trust his word that he would not kill her. After all, he didn't really need her in any particular place to kill her; he could have murdered her in the forest where no one would know, but he did not. For some reason, Tom Riddle seemed to have a reason for keeping Hermione around.

"So, you'll let me into the Chamber, and then what?" She asked in a business-like tone, pulling out her wand as she asked the question.

"Right. Lie and say that you discovered the location of the Chamber and guessed that it could be opened by Parselmouth. You've heard both Nagini and I speak in the language, so it's not too far-fetched that you would be able to guess the password." Tom instructed, opening the door to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and stepping inside. To Hermione's relief, the ghost was no where to be found at the moment, "After that, you simply need to find a way to detain Tom Riddle. I don't care how you do it, just do not harm him substantially."

"Okay, I will do my best. How. . . potent of a Legilimens is Tom Riddle at this age?" Hermione asked carefully. Tom shook his head,

"He will not be able to penetrate your thoughts, even with a spell. Your skills as an Occlumens are too strong, so do not worry. Now, I've enjoyed our little chat, but we really do need to get started. . ." Tom assured her, trailing off tastefully in a perfectly polite order: Go into the Chamber of Secrets now.

"You don't have to bother with politeness you know. You rarely do anyway." Hermione snapped at him bossily before walking over to the sink. Something tugged at the corner of Tom's mouth and Hermione could swear that it was a smile.

"Do not worry about the Basilisk; I will ensure that it does not return for quite some time. Be careful around Tom Riddle; I suppose I do not have to mention his superior intellect and good looks can be quite charming." Hermione rolled her eyes,

"Just open the Chamber for me." She instructed, grasping her wand tighter to hide her nervousness.

"You move quickly, Hermione." Tom said, raising his eyebrows. Hermione blushed violently at his filthy insinuation and he smirked before turning to the sink. He hissed something in Parselmouth and the sinks began to slide aside to reveal the dark hole that was the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, "If you're not up soon, I will come after you." Hermione just nodded, stepping up to the edge of the pit with a deep breath.

Tom Riddle suddenly reached out and grasped her arm, "Keep your wits, and be careful." He said after a moment of hesitation, keeping her arm firmly in her grasp.

"I will." Hermione affirmed, nodding, her throat feeling dry. He nodded, releasing her arm with a bit of reluctance. Gathering herself together, Hermione took another deep breath before leaping into the dark bit.

The rotten stench of decay flooded her nostrils as she slid down the grimy sides of the tunnel, casting a _lumos_ and illuminating ancient, nasty walls of the tunnel. Eventually, she landed with an _oof! _On the slimy ground littered with skeletons of small animals. She quickly stood up, brushing herself off and holding her wand out in front of her. To be honest, she had no idea what to expect from the younger Tom Riddle; it had been Harry and Ginny, after all, who had the encounters with him their second year when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. She did know all too well the power of the Basilisk, though, and the very thought of the creature threatened to make her afraid.

She didn't have time to be afraid. She had a job to do; the freedom of two Tom Riddle's wandering around threatened her ultimate purpose. Although she had hit a stalling point in her mission, two of the same Dark Lord couldn't possibly be a good thing.

After some clumsy attempts at hissing, Hermione finally managed to find her in the same part of the chamber where her and Ron had found the Basilisk skeleton during the Battle of Hogwarts. The ground was covered in water and soft dripping sounds came from all corners of the tunnel, the statues of serpents watching her ominously as she passed by.

"Clever witch." Hermione jumped at the sound of the familiar male voice. She looked around quickly, but could not see the younger Tom Riddle anywhere.

"I like to think that I have enough brain power to follow an arrogant boy to his means for exercising his lust for power." Hermione replied saucily, trying to draw him own. Predictably, he stepped out from behind one of the snake statues, wand in hand and a scowl on his face,

"A sassy witch as well. Do enlighten me; what makes you think that you can talk to me in such a manner?" Hermione clicked her tongue, attempting to imitate the smooth, careless manner that the elder Tom Riddle so often used to infuriate her,

"He's right, you know. In public you're golden, but in private your manners really are lacking." She commented off-handedly.

"So are yours." The young Tom Riddle snapped back, and then slipped into a mocking bow, "I am afraid that we haven't been properly introduced. I am Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Tom Riddle who actually belongs in this time unlike that other prat."

"You only call him a prat because he continuously outsmarts you. It's alright, you'll be him eventually." Hermione said mockingly, smirking. He snapped up from his bow, sneering,

"Your name, if you please."

"Hermione Granger." Hermione replied, extending her hand to him. He grasped her hand for a moment in a firm shake, testing her strength. She grasped his hand harder than was necessary before releasing his pale, cold hand.

"Granger?" Tom Riddle asked, tilting his head to the side, "Not a name I recognize. When did you arrive at Hogwarts?"

"The beginning of this term." Hermione answered cautiously.

"I see you were sorted into Slytherin." Tom continued, nodding with approval, "I can respect that. You do not seem to be as daft as the other females of the house, and I doubt that my older self would associate with you if you were."

"How is that, anyway?" Hermione asked, unable to stop her curiosity from getting the better of her for a moment, "Having yourself come from the future to order you around, I mean." Tom Riddle scowled,

"Bloody awful." He admitted, cracking a grin, "It is refreshing, though, to be working against someone as brilliant as myself. Which, naturally, is myself." Hermione could not keep from rolling her eyes at his cockiness, something she could see that he never would grow out of.

"Do you know why he came back to this time?" She spoke tentatively, worried at the reaction that she would get. Predictably, Tom's expression darkened and he pushed his beautiful lips together firmly for a moment before speaking,

"Unfortunately, I have no idea. I can only assume that it has to do with some error that was made around this time of his, well _my,_ life. What that could be, I cannot imagine. As you probably know, Miss Granger, the subject of time travel is a fickle thing, and the debate as to if you can actually change the past is a hot subject." Tom Riddle spoke, sounding much more like the man who Hermione was familiar with, "I have theories, of course, but nothing concrete. And, he won't tell me, even though he is me, but you know, he's a stubborn bastard." He added bitterly. Hermione couldn't help but crack a smile,

"You do realize that you're talking about yourself, right?" She couldn't help but ask. He waved her off,

"Yes, yes. A minor technicality." He said dismissively, and then began to pace, looking at her carefully, "So, Miss Granger. . . how did you find this place? The professors have been looking for ages and you, a new student, has found the illusive Chamber of Secrets." Hermione crossed her arms defiantly,

"You found it, didn't you? Can't be too hard." He scowled at this, stopping his pacing to stand directly in front of her. Around them, the dank air was filled with tension.

"I assume that you are supposed to detain me in some way? Well, that's clearly not going to happen, so you might as well leave."

"I don't think so." Hermione replied shortly, "Why did you do it? Why would you attack those Slytherin students, and then open the Chamber of Secrets?" An annoying smirk creeped up to his lips,

"Well, I can't just _tell_ you. Then, it's no fun." He began his pacing once more, but this time, he circled her, a predatory glitter in his dark eyes.

"I would hate to know what your idea of fun is." Hermione spat back. Somehow, this younger Tom Riddle seemed to be less human than his older self, irritating and arrogant. Of course, perhaps that just meant that his acting improved with age.

"I think that you desire greatly to know what my idea of fun is." His lips parted into an even wider grin, the insinuation not going unnoticed by Hermione.

"Does everything you – young and older – say have to be sexualized?" Hermione finally asked, frustratedly taking a step closer to him. He continued to grin and shrugged,

"I suppose both myself and my older self know how to choose our women." She scowled at this,

"We aren't together, you know. Your older self and I."

"Really? Interesting." Tom Riddle said, "I'm glad to see that I have at least finally managed to master my bodily urges in the future." He replied thoughtfully. Hermione took the opportunity to take another step closer to him while he instinctively took a step backwards.

"Is that why you keep Nagini around?" Hermione suddenly asked, understanding slowly beginning to dawn on her. He shrugged in the most infuriating way,

"Perhaps. She has other uses as well, though." He responded blandly, not offering up much detail, "Now, my turn to ask the questions." Hermione scoffed,

"Who said that I would answer your questions?" She asked challengingly. He shrugged,

"I believe you will. Now, first off, why don't you help me to dispose of my older self and send him back to where he belongs? I would reward you most handsomely." Tom asked her, looking directly into her eyes as he waited for an answer. Hermione tilted her head, thinking; sure, she could defeat Voldemort with Tom Riddle's help, but where would that get her? Something about this young Tom Riddle was decidedly different from his older self; he was less mature, more volatile. In a way, he was harder to manage.

"No." She said simply. His eyes flashed,

"No?" He said angrily, huffing, "Fine. I cannot see why you are so loyal to him, but it will cost you in the end."

"I'm not loyal to him, but I do not trust you." Hermione spat. He laughed, the same rich baritone sound that she was used to echoing around the walls of the dark Chamber.

"And yet you trust the man who is me just a few years older? Hilarious. Hermione, you are a gem." He reached out and gently pulled on one of her curls, "Fortunately, you will not have to worry about him for too much longer." He said cryptically with another smirk.

"Why is that?" Hermione asked, a bad feeling settling in the pit of her stomach.

"He will soon have to confront something that he cannot defeat." Tom continued mysteriously, refusing to explain further.

"Himself?" Hermione guessed, and his eyes jerked to her own,

"Very good." He said softly, then looked past her at the rest of the Chamber of Secrets, "I am not entirely sure why I'm bothering to tell you this, but I think that you realize that I know my own weaknesses all too well. Even though I am working to eliminate them, they are not gone." He paused before looking back to her seriously, "And one of my biggest adversaries – anyone's biggest adversary – is themselves. You cannot escape yourself."

"When are you planning on attacking him?" Hermione asked very quietly. He laughed again and she felt anger flush her cheeks.

"I am not attacking him. I am letting a. . . friend of mine do the job for me." Quirking an eyebrow, Hermione looked at him doubtfully,

"A friend?"

"Yes, a friend." He confirmed simply, "I do believe that you have met it before."

"It?" Hermione pressed on, putting her hands on her hips, "What are you going on about?" She demanded. A smirk pulled at Tom Riddle's lips and he shrugged,

"A creature. Something that I know Tom Riddle will never be able to defeat because he does not know happiness." His hand reached out and touched Hermione's shoulder, "And you cannot save him, because there is another creature whom I would like you to meet. She's over near the Hufflepuff common room, but she will be here shortly." As he was bragging, Hermione kept her eyes locked on him, feeling him attempting to use Legilimency on her. She put up some false memories and feelings of fear and he smiled, thinking them to be her real memories as she slid her wand out of her pocket.

_Incarcerous! _She thought forcefully and the ropes leaped out of her wand, immediately wrapping tightly around Tom Riddle. He scowled and struggled furiously, but Hermione did not stick around long enough to see the full extent of his fury.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS, GRANGER!" He bellowed, but Hermione ignored him, breathing hard as she sprinted towards the exit of the Chamber of Secrets. She had to get out, to run, to get away from the Basilisk, to save. . . Tom Riddle. For if Tom Riddle lost all of his memories, how could he help her to get back to the future? If he knew how to time travel, he was her only hope.

When she reached the tunnel, she quickly began to levitate herself, floating slowly but surely up towards the exit of the Chamber of Secrets. She was almost there, if she could only just go a little faster. . .

_Ginny dead. Harry screaming with grief, Ron passed out from drunkenness. _

The visions hit her hard and she began to shiver from the cold that settled around her. The Dementor, the same Dementor that the young Tom Riddle had apparently let into her Defense Against the Dark Arts class several weeks before.

"No. . ." Came a soft male voice, piteously broken, and a loud crash of porcelain, "Leave me alone." Tom's voice commanded, but he lacked his usual confidence, his usual cold arrogance. Instead he sounded broken and afraid, unnerving Hermione greatly.

"Get away from him!" Hermione shouted, emerging from the tunnel and taking in the sight before her. Tom was pushed against a wall, his wand out but his spells doing no good. Weak jets of red and green light emitted from his wand, but it was clear that he was fading fast. The Dementor glided towards him, black robes billowing and a cold, decaying hand reaching towards him. As Hermione entered, however, it quickly turned towards her.

Fighting the feelings of despair overtaking her, Hermione quickly gathered her happiest emotions, her most powerful memories and hopes for the future; a better world, one where Ron and Harry, her dearest friends, could live in peace.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She yelled and a silver otter burst forth from the tip of her wand, racing towards the Dementor. The Dementor howled horrible and immediately fled, flying through the open window on the far side of the bathroom from whence it had come.

Tom Riddle remained standings against the wall, his knuckles white from grasping his wand so firmly. His eyes were wide as he stared after her otter, and then slowly his gaze drifted towards Hermione.

"Tom. . ." She said softly, carefully taking a few steps closer to him. He didn't move, his eyes still fixated on her as his chest heaved with labored breathes, "Tom, are you alright?" Hermione asked him, stopping a few paces from him.

"I. . ." He began to speak, but seemed to be, for one of the first times in his life, unable to speak. Hermione waited patiently, feeling a strange stab of pity for him in her heart. A life so without happiness that he possessed not a single memory to use to cast a Patronus charm would be terrible, and that was the life that Tom Riddle was living. Not even his own sick pleasure derived from torture or murder could fill the void of true happiness, "I tried the spell, but it didn't work." Tom finally said very quietly, running a hand through his hair in a sign of distress. Clearly, no piece of magic had ever failed him before.

Hermione simply stared back at him, knowing that there was nothing that she could say to help him. It was a terrible feeling.

"You saved my life." Tom Riddle said suddenly, his eyes fixating on hers, drifting in and out of focus. Goosebumps covered his pale skin and a shaky hand reached out to rest on Hermione's cheek. Hermione's eyes closed as his cold hand cupped her pleasantly warm cheek. The confusing feelings of hatred and pity rose once again in her heart and she found herself wishing for his closeness and distance both equally.

"Hermione!" Tom suddenly exclaimed, his hands slipping down to her shoulders and forcing her down onto the ground, "Don't open your eyes!" Hermione quickly snapped her eyes shut again as Tom began to hiss and a loud hiss answered, as well as the sound of a heavy body sliding across the ground a few feet away from her.

As the Basilisk hesitated so close to her, Hermione began to shake uncontrollably from fear bubbling up inside of her. Tom Riddle could kill her, could end her life, at this very moment. Something though, deep inside, told her that he would order the giant snake back into the Chamber of Secrets.

As the sliding sound receded back into the tunnel, Hermione knew that she was right. Tom's cool hands, now more steady and slightly warmer, gently held her shoulders and pulled her up to a sitting position. She opened her eyes slowly and was immediately greeted with the sight of his dark eyes staring into her own, unreadable as ever,

"Come on. We should go." Tom said softly, helping her up from the floor and grasping her hand in his, leading her out of the bathroom, "My younger self?" He asked softly.

"Tied up magically in the Chamber." Hermione managed to reply, still quivering slightly. He nodded,

"Well done. I will see to him later." Tom Riddle spat coldly, although Hermione was not sure if the coldness was directed at her or the young Tom Riddle. She could, however, hazard a guess, but did not dare mention it out loud. Tom Riddle suddenly turned onto a different corridor, pulling her with him.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked, not really expecting an answer. As usual, he did not reply, but simply pulled her into an empty classroom, the same empty classroom where he had attempted to use Legilimency on her after Slughorn's party. He released her hand, beginning to pace the room in an agitated manner. Hermione simply sat on the teacher's desk, not saying a word but watching him walk back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

"You're unusually quiet." Tom suddenly observed after several minutes of silence. Hermione raised her eyebrows,

"So are you." She said evenly. He sighed, running another hair through his dark wavy locks. Hermione could not help but admire the graceful way his hair fell back onto his pale forehead. After a few more moments of pacing, Tom stopped in front of her,

"Why could the Dementor harm me but I could not repel it?" He questioned, finally voicing the question that had been causing him great distress, "I am not weak, so why couldn't I perform the spell?" Despite his attempts to keep his voice smooth, Hermione detect the slightest hint of panic beneath it.

"Well, maybe you just didn't have a strong enough happy memory. . ." Hermione reasoned, but frowned. Somehow, going by the misery that Tom Riddle life had been until this point, it didn't seem very likely that he had any happy memories at all really. Pleasure did not necessarily equate to happiness.

"I do not have any really happy memories, Hermione." Tom Riddle said quietly, "But there has to be something that I have that the Dementor was feeding on." Something clicked in Hermione's head and she suddenly looked up at him in surprise,

"Hope." She whispered, and he nodded, seeming disgusted with himself.

"It would seem that you're right. I suppose Tom Riddle is not entirely dead after all." Tom spat bitterly, sighing and sitting beside her on the desk, his hand absent-mindedly reaching out to stroke her hair, "I allowed myself to hope for things to get better, but the past cannot change."

"But you came back to the past." Hermione pointed out, her breath hitching in her throat. She was so close to getting the answers that she wanted. His hand paused, before his fingers untangled themselves from her curls.

"I did." Tom Riddle said softly, "Because I allowed myself to hope. A foolish idea." He stood up again, and Hermione realized that this had been what the young Tom Riddle was after all along.

"You're doubting yourself." Hermione observed, and Tom squared his shoulders in defiance of this statement,

"A temporary setback." He affirmed arrogantly, tucking his wand back into his robes, "You saved my life, Hermione, and I saved yours. I expect that no other payment is necessary." He walked forward, opening the classroom door. Hermione did not speak to him, knowing that her words would do no good, "I will be in my quarters if you require me." He finished coolly before leaving, but under his words, Hermione heard something different; a plea. A command. _Come to my room_, he told her.

And, owing to some inexplicable curiosity that she could not suppress, Hermione knew that she would obey.

**Author's Note: First off, thanks for all of the great reviews and PM's that I have gotten recently! I really appreciate, especially after all of the unsteady updates, all of the support for this story! It really keeps me going and helps me to write faster.**

**So, this chapter felt a little ungainly to me, so I apologize if it seems a little choppy to you as well. I worked a long time on it, but this is the best that I came up with, so let me know what you think!**

**Cheers!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Hermione's breath caught in her throat as her hand hesitated for a long moment, poised in a fist just in front of a door, preparing to knock. Beyond the door to Tom Riddle's Head Boy quarters, she had no possible idea what would await her there. Just as Tom Riddle was starting to become almost predictable to her, he changed in a flash, his volatile emotions under his smooth control but sometimes leaking out.

Was there true feeling? Did he hurt, did he lust, did he anger? Those three emotions she could almost sense in him – the apparent lack of happy emotion, of love and a feeling of belonging was disturbing, and created, in turn, a cold but emotionally calculation human being. It then hit Hermione that that was her first mistake when it came to Lord Voldemort; she expected him to be a monster, of a different species than she. Perhaps his future self was indeed a monster, but this man, Tom Riddle, was not. He was, regrettably, a human being just like herself. Just like Hermione, he thirsted for knowledge and strove towards his ambitions with unbridled desire. Even if his ambitions were quite different than Hermione's, they were ambitions nonetheless that he believed in whole-heartedly (or, with as much of a heart as he had). It was difficult for Hermione to continue to so blindly hate someone when that person served as a mirror to her darkest desires.

Did she dare to knock? What dangerous secret would she discover if she did? Once she took her plunge from ignorance, there was no turning back. At one time, Hermione wold have considered to be in Tom Riddle's confidence to be a unique privilege, a useful tool to aid her in his eventual destruction. Now, however, she was not so sure. Now, it almost felt as if each new thought that he confided in her was another step into a complicated web that she did not understand and could not escape.

But Tom Riddle knew her all too well; he knew her curiosity, and he knew her desire for knowledge. He knew that she would knock.

And she did. _Knock, knock, knock._

From within, measured footsteps were heard approaching the door with seemingly agonizing slowness. She waited impatiently, annoyed at his obvious attempt to irritate her. The door swung open to reveal the handsome youth, all of his poise regained, clad in black sleeping pants and an emerald green robe.

"Can I help you?" He asked coolly, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips as he saw the blush spread across her cheeks. Hermione felt the blush burn her cheeks, which only caused her to blush more as she realized that she was staring at Tom Riddle in his nightclothes. Had she been so wrong in supposing that he wanted her to come to his room? She had waited about an hour before approaching the door, but she was so sure that he wanted her to come.

"I thought that you wanted to talk with me." Hermione finally responded, but the words sounded childish to her ears. He would surely send her away now; after all, she had seen him at his vulnerable moment. Why would he want to talk to her about that anyway?

Surprisingly, he stepped aside to allow her inside, "But of course." He said obligingly. Hermione looked up at him in surprise, but slowly stepped into his quarters, not entirely sure what to expect. The last time she had been in Tom Riddle's quarters, it had only been for a few hours after Halloween when Nagini locked them both in the quarters with no wands. _He also used the Cruciatus Curse on Nagini while I was asleep._ Hermione added mentally, feeling slightly sick. Hermione stopped as she reached the middle of the living room, looking around awkwardly. Tom looked on, a smirk still on his lips, "Please, do sit down." He said insistently, waiting until she sat down on the couch until he sunk into the arm chair beside it.

"Erm. . . your younger self." Hermione forced out the words, desperately searching for something to break the awkward silence, "Did you manage to lock him away somewhere?" She asked.

"Oh, yes." Tom replied easily, nodding, "I dealt with him. I must admire the skill of your spellwork; he still had not managed to escape before I reached him, amazingly enough." He paused, leaning back in his chair and studying her face carefully. Hermione suddenly got the feeling that he knew far more about something than she did, and that it was a mistake to come into his room in the first place.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Hermione pressed, trying to shake the feeling. Tom raised his eyebrows,

"I wanted to speak with you?" He shook his head, "No. I simply said that I would be in my quarters if you needed me, and now you're here." He paused, another smirk creeping up to his mouth, "So, is there anything I can do for you, Miss Granger?" Hermione responded slowly,

"I'm. . . not sure." Hermione said clumsily, but honestly, "I must have been mistaken. I'll just leave and turn in for the night." She said, beginning to stand up. Tom Riddle stood up quickly, stepping towards her and placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and pushing her back onto the couch,

"No, stay. I insist." He insisted warmly. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, a female figure emerged from the doorway of Tom's bedroom,

"Tom, I was wondering-" Nagini cut off as her eyes drifted over to rest on Tom's hand resting on Hermione's shoulder in what could have been a compromising position. She abruptly stopped in her tracks. Nagini's clothes hung loosely around her thin frame and she had managed to clean the blood off of her clothes and face, although her hair remained rumpled and wild, "Oh, hello Hermione." She said uncertainly, her voice slightly hoarse.

"Nagini. . . hi." Hermione replied, immediately standing up from the couch, looking towards her friend with confusion, "I haven't seen you in a while." She commented, realizing that she had not seen Nagini for several hours. Nagini laughed easily,

"Oh, I've just been doing this and that." She said with a dismissive wave of her hand, but Hermione could see in her dark eyes that she was hiding something, "What have you been up to?" She inquired further. In response, Hermione shrugged,

"This and that." She said, mimicking Nagini's tone. If Nagini was not willing to give up information, neither was Hermione. Nagini's eyes narrowed a little and she looked slightly hurt,

"Well, sounds like a decidedly dull afternoon." She attempted to bring some humor back into the suddenly cold conversation and phishing for information, but Hermione just forced a fake laugh and nodded,

"Yes, quite dull." She remarked, but Nagini looked unconvinced. Her pale hand reached up and ran through her rumpled curls, attempting to set them straight in some kind of order but with little success. Unlike her usual confident self, Nagini seemed shaken, confused, and. . . suspicious. Why did she insist on lying to Hermione so much? "How was your's?" Hermione questioned back.

"Dull, huh?" Nagini asked, a half smile sliding unconvincingly, "Mine was too. Decidedly uninteresting in every way." As usual, her attempt to cover all bases made the lie obvious.

"Were you in the Common Room all day? I didn't see you." Hermione remarked lightly. Nagini shook her head,

"Oh no, I was. . . around." She finally managed to say before laughing nervously, "Well, it's late, so I'll just leave you two to whatever you were about to be up to. I'm sorry for having spoiled it." She winked and took a few steps in the direction of the door on seemingly shaky, unsteady legs. Tom suddenly stood up from the couch; in all honesty, Hermione had even forgotten he was there.

"Nagini, you do not look well." He commented, his brows knitted in concern as he walked towards the girl, reaching out and resting his hand on her shoulder. Nagini flinched involuntarily as he touched her and he frowned, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I just need rest." Nagini insisted, her voice still sounding scratchy. Hermione looked at the girl, confused and concerned; even if she was being secretive, there was something very wrong here. For once, Tom seemed to be actually trying to help her, but Nagini was giving him the cold shoulder. Why? Was she plotting against Tom?

"Do you need help getting back to our dormitory?" Hermione asked her. Nagini quickly nodded, then looked slightly sheepish,

"Yes, that is so kind of you to offer. I don't know why, but I seem to be in a bit of pain today. Probably from Quidditch practice yesterday." She laughed hollowly. Tom still looked concerned,

"You don't think it was something that happened in the lake, do you?" He asked softly. Nagini shook her head, looking up into his eyes,

"Definitely not something from the lake." She whispered softly, attempting to pull her arm out of Tom's gentle grasp and wincing. Tom's head tilted to the side at her wince, biting his lip as he pulled her a little closer to him and cupped her chin with his hand,

"Tell me where it hurts." He muttered softly, and Nagini's eyes closed. It seemed that, for a moment, they had forgotten that Hermione was even there. Hermione fought to keep quiet and just observe, fought to keep her own emotions out of the situation, since she felt the most unusual emotion rising in her heart. She could practically see green as Tom treated Nagini with such tenderness and found herself wishing that the kisses that Hermione and Tom shared had not been in searing self-loathing and hate.

"Everywhere." Nagini breathed, her eyes abruptly opening again and she seemed to be struggling with her feelings as well. She seemed so terribly confused, so haunted. Tom just nodded, releasing her chin and looking over to Hermione,

"We had better get Nagini back to her own bed." He said softly, but the word "own" did not go unnoticed by Hermione. Where else had Nagini been, then? Hermione nodded,

"Yes, alright. That would be best." Hermione agreed, stepping forward to Nagini's left side as Tom moved to her right. They gently escorted her down the stairs until they reached the girl's dormitory. Tom halted, allowing Hermione to escort Nagini the rest of the way.

As they entered the room of sleeping girls, Nagini said nothing as she tumbled into her own bed, her face turned away from Hermione. Why was she treating Hermione so coldly? Hermione sighed, resting a hand on Nagini's shoulder,

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Hermione asked gingerly. Nagini turned her head to look at Hermione, and she could see Nagini's tears glistening in the moonlight,

"I'll be fine." Nagini said nonetheless, her eyes softening a little, "I appreciate you trying to help me, Hermione. You're a real friend, and a good person. Know that." Something in her voice suggested a warning, and Hermione felt uneasy.

"What's going on?" She whispered softly, feeling a prickle run up her spine. For a moment, it looked like Nagini might finally tell her everything, but suddenly the girl seemed to clam up again, her expression becoming guarded once again.

"Nothing." She mumbled, turning back onto her side, "I need to rest." Another abrupt dismissal. Hermione sighed,

"Goodnight, Nagini." She muttered softly before turning and exiting her dormitory. She found, unsurprisingly, that Tom was still standing on the staircase, apparently waiting for her. In the shadowy moonlight, his cheekbones were quite pronounced and his eyes and hair seemed to melt into the darkness around him. The effect was almost skeletal, and for a moment, Hermione could see a glimpse of his future appearance. It was a pity that something so beautiful was going to be destroyed by ambition.

"Shall we go back up? You do not seem to be tired." Tom observed, apparently getting impatient with her silence. Hermione knew that she should probably politely decline and turn in for the night, but something kept her from doing so.

"Sure." She finally responded, following him back up to the top of the stairs and into his quarters once more. As Tom knelt before the fire to tend to it, Hermione took the opportunity to steal another quick look around the living room. Unfortunately, no traces of personality were to be found in the perfectly adequate décor. She walked forward and sat down on the couch once again, the warmth from the fire settling over her comfortably. Tom sat down on the couch beside her and they fell into silence that wasn't entirely uncomfortable.

"Nagini. . ." He finally stated, and Hermione felt a strange flutter of jealousy at the way he said her name in such a hesitating manner, "Is she alright?" Hermione nodded,

"I think she will be in the morning. She seemed upset by something, though, but she would not tell me what." She carefully replied, looking into his eyes for a response.

"Ah. Women." Tom said, only half teasing, as he raked a hand through his hair seemingly nervously. His acting almost seemed to be _too _good. For once, Hermione could not tell if it even was acting, or if he was being serious.

"What do you mean by that?" Hermione asked cautiously. Tom shook his head, chuckling,

"It's impossible to tell what they're thinking, ever." He responded with a shrug, "Nagini especially. She's so cryptic. She hasn't come to my bed in months and then she practically forced herself on me this afternoon. Merlin only knows _why_."

Hermione stared at him in shock; Nagini had run up to Tom's room for all of the afternoon because she wanted to have sex with him? How long had this been going on, and why had Nagini lied about wanting Tom and Hermione to get together? Then, there came the inevitable question that Hermione barely wanted to think about; had Tom actually. . . done it? Her mouth dry, Hermione tried to chuckle and sound light-hearted as well,

"Well, it doesn't sound like you minded." She half-teased, practically begging him to contradict her. Tom's smirk widened and he leaned down next to Hermione's ear, as if he were telling her some great secret,

"The only part I minded was having to cast a Silencing Charm over the room because she screamed so much. Did you notice how hoarse her voice was?" His answer was a slap in Hermione's face and she found herself momentarily unable to respond.

"O-oh." Hermione stuttered in response, not really able to think of anything else to say. In her mind, she was replaying hers and Tom's passionate kisses, their flirtations, his special attentions towards her, Nagini's encouragements. . . did it all really mean nothing? _Of course it meant nothing; he's Voldemort!_ Hermione attempted to scold herself, but somehow she still felt angry, but not at herself.

"Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable?" Tom suddenly said in that same soft, wicked voice, his smirk still playing across his delightful lips. Hermione balked at the question, quickly shaking her head. He laughed musically at her response, "I'll bet you haven't even had a good love-making experience. That's too bad, really."

Hermione fought the lewd imagines that came unwanted to her mind, disgusted with herself. She jerked away from Tom, finding that he had gotten far too close to her in the last few moments for her to feel comfortable. He simply followed her and she found her back against the arm of the couch. Unable to move further, she huffed in a frustrated manner. He raised an eyebrow,

"My dear Hermione, whatever is the matter?" He asked, feigning concern as he reached his arm over to rest on the arm of the couch, effectively pinning her to the couch. She scowled at him, attempting to push him off,

"Aren't you worried that _Nagini_ will be upset?" She spat, not able to keep the venom out of her voice. Tom grinned down at her,

"Jealous?" He taunted, and Hermione felt the urge to slap him for so accurately pointing out her regrettable emotion. Hermione scoffed at him,

"Me? Jealous? Never." She replied defiantly, "But you, disappointed? I'm sure you were thinking of someone else the entire time."

Hermione truly did not know why she wanted to provoke him so much, but the glittering of his unusually dark eyes suddenly made her extremely uncomfortable. Suddenly his weight felt like too much and she felt as though she was being suffocated by the smell of Tom Riddle. It was intoxicatingly treacherous.

"Perhaps I was." Tom said darkly, his hand sliding up to play with one of her curls, "Tough, intelligent, but caring. That's what Nagini told me about you when she told me your surname, you know." He suddenly said absent-mindedly. Hermione's eyes snapped up to his and Tom found in them exactly what he expected to; surprise.

"Nagini told you my surname? How?" She asked suspiciously, not seeming to fully believe him.

"But of course she did." Tom said, releasing her hair and standing up from the couch, straightening out his bathrobe that he still managed to make look refined, "Nagini is a Seer, and a good one at that. She can tell lots of different things about people." He said seemingly carelessly. Hermione only stared up at him in shock; after she had trusted Nagini, Nagini had still betrayed her. What else did Nagini know about her, and what had she told Tom?

"Hermione, it is so late. Why don't you just spend the night right there." Tom suddenly said, whipping out his wand and transfiguring the couch into a small but very comfortable bed. Something about his suggestion definitely was not a question.

"It's fine, I can just go back to my dormitory. . ." Hermione began, but his hard look silenced her, "Fine, I'll stay." She relented grudgingly, not wishing to provoke his anger further. Tom smiled,

"Good." he said, turning and walking into his bedroom and rustling around his something before emerging, tossing her an identical green bathrobe as the one he was wearing to her, "Something to sleep in." He said, the epitome of a gracious host, "Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Tom." Hermione replied, reluctant and soft. He smirked,

"I'll be in the bedroom if you need anything during the night." He winked and pulled his bedroom door closed behind him, leaving Hermione blushing furiously. Honestly, men were insufferable; he had already bedded one girl today, why did he need another?

Huffing, Hermione stood up and pulled off her clothes and pulled on his bathrobe, trying to ignore the pleasantly tantalizing scent that settled around her as she drifted off to sleep.

* ' * ' *

On the other side of the door, Tom Riddle smirked to himself, imagining the delicious shade of pink that Hermione's cheeks would be turning right now. Flustering the girl was just too much fun, and he couldn't seem to stop doing it lately.

The Nagini story was necessary, of course, he reasoned with himself. There had to be some explanation for why Nagini was laying in his bed, and he obviously could not tell Hermione that Nagini was simply recovering from the effect of the Cruciatus Curse, so a romantic afternoon had been the next-best explanation.

Well, perhaps not the next-best, but certainly the most entertaining. Hermione was definitely jealous, and the knowledge of her jealousy sent a strange jolt of pleasure through Tom's body as he pulled off his bathrobe and settled into bed, the cool sheets resting contently against his suddenly warm skin. He scoffed at the thought of being pleased with her jealousy and quickly pushed it out of his mind, turning his thoughts towards Nagini.

The girl had still not given up the vision that he wanted, but she could only resist him for so long. Eventually she would give in, and he would have everything that he needed to finish his rise to power. The knowledge of his own death would, ironically enough, make him immortal. He could time travel, and he could stop it. Simple, really.

So, for the first time in several weeks, Tom Riddle slept soundly, his dreams drifting back and forth between a certain bushy-haired witch and the intense satisfaction that he felt as he gazed upon Nagini's broken expression as he taunted her about the Cruciatus Curse.

Both were equally as pleasing.

**Author's Note: Hello, and thanks for reading Chapter 25! I surprised myself a little getting this up so fast, so I hope that you enjoyed it. I am pleased to say that this story has received the move amount of views and visitors EVER this month, so thank you all so much for taking the time to read my story!**

**A note about this chapter: I felt as if Tom was coming across maybe too soft in the last few chapters, and that certainly was not the intention; he has (almost) full control over his emotions and uses them (or replicas of emotion) to the greatest possible advantage. I hope that getting into his mind a little at the end helped to understand his thought process. **

**I've received some great reviews and questions about the past few chapters, so feel free to leave a review or PM me with any questions or feedback. I really do appreciate it.**

**Cheers!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Tom Riddle rose early the next day, as was his custom, despite the small amount of sleep that he had gotten the night before. Truthfully, he really did not feel the need to sleep too much. Between night patrols, which he had every other night as Head Boy, and the other. . . activities which kept him awake long hours into the morning, there was simply not enough time for sleep. Additionally, the need for sleep was always a perpetual irritation to Tom. After all, he had things to do, and sleep was taking up valuable time that he so desperately needed.

After carefully tying the tie of his Slytherin Hogwarts uniform, Tom slid on his black robes and opened up the door to walk into his living room. A smirk curled onto his lips; the Granger girl was still fast asleep on the bed that he had transfigured for her the night before. She lay curled up in his emerald green bathrobe, her bushy hair falling across her rosy cheeks, her shoulders moving slightly as she breathed deeply.

As quick as the smirk came, it melted into a frown. What was she hiding, this girl? She was such a bad liar, and yet she managed to keep some great secret from him. Sure, she wanted to kill him; that was obvious from almost the first moment that he met her. But _why_? Why would she have a cause to hate him if she did not even know him?

Unless, of course, she did know him. It was entirely possible that he had already altered the timeline and somehow, this Hermione girl had come to hate him and transferred to Hogwarts to kill him. It seemed unlikely though; he thought that he could only alter events from the present moment on, not further in the past than he had traveled. Tom sighed, running a hand through his hair; honestly, he did not really know how many things he could change through time travel, and not knowing bothered him. Sure, Nagini's visions were a tiny glimpse of the new timeline in his future, but what if everything just ended up the same in the end? Wasn't that a theory, after all? That time was cyclical?

No, of course he didn't believe that. That was entirely absurd; of course if he changed a past event, corrected a past mistake, the outcome would change. There would be no way of knowing beforehand what the outcome would be, but Tom could fix it with another simple time travel. Unlimited mistakes, unlimited chances to fix them. His flicker of doubt removed, Tom straightened his robes before stepping over towards the sleeping girl in his living room, his smirk returning. Time to have some fun. He leaned down close to Hermione's ear,

"Good morning, Hermione." He said in his smoothest voice. Hermione's eyes flew open and she jumped in surprise before looking up at him and, predictably, scowling,

"Good morning, _Tom_." She hissed, irritated. She sat up, running her fingers through her impossibly messy hair. Tom eyes followed her movements with interest,

"You know, you don't have to try and fix yourself for me, I know that not all of us can wake up looking like angels." Tom said with a delicate sniff, deliberately keeping his voice controlled but careless sounding at the same time. Hermione scowled at him again and he fought the urge to laugh at her most amusing expression.

"Like you ever look like an angel." Hermione quipped back.

"What do I look like, then?" Tom asked her, his eyebrows knitted in concern.

"A prat." Hermione replied simply, and this time it was Tom's turn to scowl. He noticed the triumphant smirk that graced her lips and resisted the urge to make it disappear. He would let her think that she had bested him for a little while at least. She suddenly turned her head and he followed her eyes over to the clock, "You're an early riser." Hermione commented upon seeing the early hour. He shrugged,

"So are you, usually." Tom replied simply, walking around the transfigured bed to sit down in his armchair next to the fire. Hermione ran her hand through her hair again, a nervous gesture perhaps, and Tom decided to remain silent. Eventually, she broke the silence, standing up and clearing her throat awkwardly,

"Well, I should get going then. I need to go back to my own dormitory to get ready for the day." She commented, picking up her clothes that she had folded neatly on the edge of the bed the night before. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking down at the green bathrobe wrapped around her body. A smirk crawled up to Tom's lips as he enjoyed her discomfort,

"You can just wear it down to your dormitory and return it to me later." He offered and Hermione nodded quickly,

"Okay, I'll do that. Thanks." She said softly, but then whipped her head over to look at him, her eyes narrowing a little bit. She was obviously irritated with him. . . again. Really, Hermione wore her emotions so outwardly, sometimes Tom secretly supposed that she should be in Gryffindor, "Why did you make me stay here last night?" She demanded. Tom raised his eyebrows,

"I didn't make you do anything, Hermione." He replied innocently, and it was mostly true. It wasn't like he threatened her if she didn't stay, he just made it quite clear that he wanted her to stay, "Maybe that's a question you should ask yourself. Why did _you_ stay?"

"Stop it." Hermione said, turning her back on him and beginning to walk towards the door. Now, Tom was genuinely confused,

"Stop what?" He asked, standing up and taking a few steps after her.

"Trying to confuse me and make me say something just to make you feel better." Hermione snapped turning around and jabbing her finger into his chest, "I am not the keeper of your over inflated ego, Tom." At this, Tom laughed, smiling down at her and reaching out to pull one of her curls playfully,

"Don't worry, Hermione; I don't want your flattery. I get enough of it from everybody else." He teased, and he could tell that Hermione was fighting the urge to grin herself.

"I will return your bathrobe an hour." Hermione said diplomatically, turning her nose up in the air before leaving his room without another word. For a moment, Tom just stood as he was, reaching up and absent-mindedly touching the place where Hermione's finger had been poking him in the chest. She really did detest him.

No.

Something about that statement was wrong. Perhaps Hermione hated him, but there was something more than that, more than just a reason to hate him. Oddly enough, Tom got the feeling that Hermione didn't exactly hate him as a person. . . she hated the _idea_ of him. He sighed in frustration, once again back to the original question of "why?" How could she hate the idea of him, the idea of some kind of emerging or future lord of the world, when she did not even know him?

Tom could have smacked himself in the head; she could hate him, of course, if she did know him. What if Hermione Granger was time traveling as well?

Slowly, the pieces began to fall into place; how she knew about the Shrieking Shack, why she changed her last name, how she knew about Hogwarts already even though she pretended that she did not on her very first day at Hogwarts. What if Hermione Granger was time traveling and returned to the past to destroy him?

It was a very possible scenario, but with one slight issue; the extreme complexity and difficulty of mastering time travel. Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, as he liked to think of himself, only had just managed to figure it out, and even he had received some help. Did this witch really manage to figure out the secret at only seventeen – possibly eighteen – years of age?

No; it was impossible. Hermione Granger was intelligent, but she was not that intelligent. If it had taken him several years with help to figure out how to time travel, there was no way that Hermione could do it on her own. Satisfied with the explanation, Tom crossed the room to pick up his book off of the shelf.

As he sat down to read, however, he had difficulty pushing a sense of uneasiness from his mind and the mental image of Hermione Granger wrapped up in his bathrobe.

* ' * ' *

Hermione walked quickly down the stairs, praying that she would not run into anybody while only wearing a bathrobe. . . Tom Riddle's bathrobe at that. Thankfully, Tom had woken her up so early that none of the other students were stirring outside of their dormitories yet. Now, all she had to do was slip into her own dormitory, take a quick shower, and give Tom back his robe. Simple.

"Hermione?" Nagini whispered as Hermione opened the door to the dormitory. Hermione winced a little before carefully shutting the door and walking over to her own bed, barely daring to look at the girl sitting up in the bed beside her own,

"Erm, yeah, it's me." Hermione replied, quickly stuffing her clothes in a drawer and fetching clean clothes.

"Where have you been all night?" Nagini asked slowly, and finally, Hermione turned her head to look at the girl. Nagini's eyes were carefully inspecting Hermione and the green bath robe she was wearing. Clearly, Nagini knew exactly where she had been. Hermione sighed,

"Nagini, it's not like that. . ." Hermione started to say, but she meekly trailed off as Nagini raised her eyebrows.

"Oh really? You're gone all night and you come back wearing _his_ bath robe?" Nagini snapped, her voice getting a little more intense. Hermione pulled out her wand, quickly casting a silencing charm around them for fear of waking the other girls in the dormitory,

"After we brought you back down here, we went back up to his quarters and chatted for a while. I slept up there in his living room because of the late hour. That is all, I swear." Hermione said in almost a pleading voice, but even to her own ears the words sounded like a lie. Nagini scoffed,

"I am not an idiot, Hermione." She said, crossing her arms.

"No, but you are my friend. You have to believe me!" Hermione insisted, but Nagini stubbornly refused to respond, "Why do you care so much anyway? Earlier in the year, you were practically trying to force me onto him." Hermione added venomously.

"But you swore up and down that you were not interested, so I became friends with you. I thought that you were a good person, since all you thought about night and day was _not_ Tom Riddle." Nagini replied heatedly.

"And all you think about is Tom Riddle." Hermione snapped in response, not thinking about the words before she said them. Nagini suddenly stood up from the bed, her wand instantly appearing in her hand, her barely contained anger beginning to seethe over,

"How did it feel, Hermione?" She said, her voice sickeningly sweet, "Having the leftovers?" Now Hermione stood up, her face flushing in anger, thankful for the silencing charm,

"I did not sleep with him, Nagini! I swear to you!" Hermione insisted once again, but Nagini laughed mockingly,

"Yes, you did. You fucked him last night without a care in the world, didn't you?" Hermione hand tightened around her wand, and she could practically see red,

"Shut up!" She hissed, "Do you really think that I would do that? That I await Tom Riddle's beck and call and would just crawl into his bed after everything that he's done?" Nagini's eyes suddenly snapped to Hermione's,

"Everything he's done? How would you know?" Hermione realized her stupidity and simply refused to speak for a moment, working to collect her thoughts,

"So, why did you decide to tell him my real surname, if we're supposedly such good friends and he's supposedly so bad of a person?" Hermione countered. Clearly, Nagini did not expect the tables to be turned on her so quickly. Her already pale face paled even more, and she couldn't speak for a moment,

"What did he tell you?" She demanded.

"That you're a Seer, and that you can see visions of the future." Hermione replied, "Such a happy coincidence, that Tom Riddle has a woman to look into the future for him and you have a man to warm your bed when you want it." Hermione spat venomously, turning on her heel and marching into the bathroom defiantly, "I'll be in the shower."

"We're not finished!" Nagini suddenly said, taking a few steps towards Hermione. Hermione stepped into the bathroom and looked back, raising her eyebrows,

"Yes, we are." She snapped before slamming the door in the girl's face.

* ' * ' *

Breakfast was one of the most decidedly awkward affairs of Hermione's life. Nagini pointedly sat on the other side of Tom, carefully ensuring to avoid Hermione's gaze and deliberately talking to everyone besides Hermione.

Personally, Hermione considered it to be silly, but she had to admit that she wasn't acting much better.

"So. . . I guess they got all of the commotion sorted out, then? Since we're having classes today?" Avery asked with a nervous laugh, desperately trying to dispel the thick tension that settled over the small group.

"It appears that the Chamber of Secrets was not opened again. The attacker, probably the same one who attacked our fellow Slytherins the other day, petrified the girl and tried to make it look like it was the monster." Tom lied smoothly, carefully taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"That's good." Avery said, nodding thoughtfully, "But why would the attacker want to attack some useless Hufflepuff girl?"

"Perhaps they were trying to convince everyone that the Chamber of Secrets Monster attacked the Slytherins as well." Hermione offered up carefully.

"That's impossible; the monster would not attack Slytherins. Not unless there was blood impurity in our House." Nagini said shortly, placing her knife and fork down on the table and standing up, "I'm going to go and study." She announced, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Rosier looked up in surprise,

"Nagini. . . studying?" He asked in confusion, and even Tom snorted a little into his pumpkin juice. Avery forced a smile,

"Have fun, Nagini. See you in Transfiguration." Avery said pleasantly, but Nagini ignored all of them and stalked off, clearly in no mood to be cheerful. Avery let out a low whistle as soon as she was gone, "Jeez, Blishwick, what did you do?" He asked, leaning forward a little in his seat. Hermione shrugged,

"We got into an argument. She'll be fine." She responded primly, placing her knife and fork down on the table as well. Tom raised his eyebrows,

"An argument? About what?" He asked. Hermione felt an urge to punch him,

"Oh, I don't know. Girl stuff, I suppose." She huffed, irritated by the bemusement in his eyes. Of course he knew what they were fighting about. Secretly, Hermione supposed that that had been his intention all along.

"I am so sorry to hear that. It's such a shame when friends get into arguments." Tom said with fake sympathy, and Hermione had finally decided that she had enough.

"I'm going to the library." She snapped, standing up and slinging her bag over her shoulder much in the same manner that Nagini had. Tom smirked, standing up as well,

"I'll go with you." He said simply. Hermione sighed, irritated, and turned on her heel,

"Fine. But you better keep up." She snapped, walking off briskly. Much to her dissatisfaction, Tom caught up to her easily with his long legs, that same irritating smirk still on his features. Rosier and Avery half-heartedly waved after them, still confused, and Wilkes remained absolutely silent.

"So, Hermione, what exactly did you and Nagini get into an argument about?" He asked mockingly, looking over at her and not bothering to hide his amusement.

"Shut up, you prat. You know exactly what we were fighting about. Ever since you decided to start putting me into awkward situations, Nagini and I-"

"Good morning, Mr. Riddle, Miss Blishwick." Professor Dumbledore suddenly said. Hermione stopped abruptly in her tracks, realizing that she had almost directly run into the Transfiguration professor from her lack of paying attention. Tom stopped beside her as well, all look of amusement gone and replaces by a careful mask.

"Good morning, professor. Can we help you?" He asked stiffly. Dumbledore nodded, his features soft, but all twinkle gone from his eye,

"Yes, actually. If you both have the time, I would like to meet with both of you in my office this morning. Immediately."

"Of course, professor." Hermione responded instantly, ignoring the look that Tom was giving her out of the corner of his eye. Something wasn't right here, and she knew that Dumbledore must have something truly important if he wanted to meet with both her and Tom Riddle.

"Excellent. Shall we?" Dumbledore asked politely before turning and walking towards his office. Hermione and Tom followed him, both of them exchanging confused glances and not saying a word. After a few minutes of walking in a heavy silence, they arrived in Dumbledore's office. Hermione and Tom both took a seat as Dumbledore walked slowly around to the other side of the desk and sat down, resting his elbows on his desk and looking intently at the two student sitting across from him.

"You must be wondering why, of course, I called you into my office this morning." He finally said, breaking the silence. Tom shifted a little in his seat, leaning back and studying Dumbledore's face, waiting for him to continue. Hermione remained stiff and silent, "I have received a tip from a student of the most alarming nature, and I need to know the truth from both of you." He continued firmly, his eyes shifting over to lock onto Hermione's eyes.

"What sort of. . . concern, professor?" Hermione asked slowly, her heart accelerating nervously.

"It was made aware to me that during the time Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Black were attacked, you and Mr. Riddle were no where to be found in Hogwarts or on the legal portions of the Hogwarts grounds." Dumbledore began, turning his gaze to Tom.

"There is more, then?" Tom asked, speaking for the first time in the office. Dumbledore nodded,

"I am afraid there is. I know nothing of the whereabout of Miss Blishwick during this time, but it was said that you, Mr. Riddle, were seen by the lake, trailing behind the two students." Beneath the desk, Tom's hand clenched, but his face remained perfectly smooth.

"Is that all, then?" He asked carefully. Raising his eyebrows a little, Dumbledore nodded,

"Yes, Tom. That is all." He affirmed, "But I am sure that you understand the seriousness of the situation, and the implication."

"I do perfectly, professor." Tom said evenly, "But it is indeed lucky that you called Miss Granger in here with me, since she can easily clear up at least part of this situation."

The use of Hermione's real surname had the desired effect on Dumbledore; his eyes widened the slightest bit in surprise. Silently, Hermione cursed Tom Riddle; of course he would try and make it look like she and Tom were friends by using her real name.

"Miss Granger, you say?" Dumbledore asked softly, but he was looking at Tom, not Hermione.

"Yes, Miss Granger. I assume we can all put away any pretenses in each other's company, can we not?" Tom replied, and Hermione fought the urge to stomp on his foot under the table. He was not speaking like a seventeen year old student – he was speaking like an adult. Did he want Dumbledore to guess his secret?

"I believe that we can." Dumbledore affirmed, much to Hermione's surprise, and he turned his gaze to Hermione, "So, Miss Granger, is there anything you have to say?" Hermione took a deep breath,

"Tom and I were indeed out of the allowed areas of the Hogwarts grounds. We were in the Forbidden Forest." Hermione admitted, making sure to keep her eyes trained on Dumbledore so that he knew her to be telling the truth. Why she was covering for Tom, she wasn't exactly sure, "Tom was with me the entire time, though. From the moment we left the castle to the moment we returned and discovered that the attacks had taken place." Dumbledore leaned back in his seat, folding his hands in front of him,

"I am inclined to believe you, Miss Granger, but I must ask: what were you and Mr. Riddle doing out of bounds in the Forbidden Forest?" Tom shifted a little into his seat, and Hermione understood; he would answer this question.

"There were rumors of a magical object of some kind hidden in the forest. We went to look for it, but we did not find it because we got. . . distracted." He said softly, hesitating the slightest bit at the last part of the sentence and clearing his throat.

"Distracted?" Dumbledore asked, lifting his chin a little bit.

"We ended up talking." Hermione cut in before Tom could answer, "And stopped searching for the rumored magical object because we were decently sure that it was a hoax." Hermione added, trying to stop the blood from rushing to her cheeks as she thought of her and Tom's passionate kisses in the forest that she still could not explain.

"I see." Dumbledore commented, continuing to look at Hermione closely, "Well, since the information is coming from a reputable source, I am inclined to believe you. I must ask, though; is there anyone else who left the castle with you?"

"Yes." Tom responded simply, "Nagini."

"Nagini." Dumbledore said, raising his eyebrows, "And she did not go into the forest with you?"

"No, she did not." Hermione confirmed softly. After all, it was true; Nagini had not gone into the forest with them, and there was no way to prove that Nagini had stayed in the lake the entire time. Dumbledore leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk once more,

"What was she doing?" He asked seriously.

"She was looking for the same magical object we were, but she was looking in the lake. We were looking for Ravenclaw's Diadem, but it is most certainly lost." Tom confirmed.

"Did she come out of the lake when and walk back up to the castle with you?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"Yes, sir." Hermione confirmed. Dumbledore knitted his brow,

"Has Nagini been home recently?" This question was directed at Tom and seemed vaguely out of place.

"Not that I know of, but she was planning on going home over Christmas, I believe." Tom responded, seeming caught slightly off-guard by the question. Dumbledore sighed,

"I see." Dumbledore responded inexplicably, "I will share this information because I think that you need to know it in light of the allegations against you, and for no other reason than that. I request that neither of you take this knowledge beyond this room. I am trusting you as two of the most brilliant students that Hogwarts has ever seen to help myself and the Headmaster with this dilemma." Hermione looked up at him in surprise, and even Tom looked up in surprise. Dumbledore was. . . trusting Tom with something? "On the same morning that this allegation is referring to, Nagini came into my office to tell me of both of your disappearance during the same time that she was supposed to be in the lake. While Professor Dippet and I were looking for both of you – we feared that you had been attacked in the castle – Nagini returned to the dungeons. I do not know how she got back outside."

Hermione looked up in shock, but Tom looked collected,

"And I assume Nagini was the one who made the allegations against us? Told you that she was afraid to tell you the first time and that she didn't want to get us in trouble?" He asked, slight bitterness creeping up into his voice.

"That is accurate, Tom." Dumbledore said gravely, "It appears that someone is lying in this situation, and because of your word and Miss Granger's, I am inclined to believe that it is Nagini. I must ask you, is there anything you know that could confirm to me why?"

Hermione shook her head, "I am not sure, professor. I am just as confused as you are." She admitted softly. Tom, on the other hand, looked at Dumbledore steadily,

"I only have an inkling." He said uncertainly, reaching up to run a hand through his hair, "But I will do my best to discover the truth of it." He paused, "But there is something that you need to know about Nagini."

"And what is that, Tom?" Dumbledore asked, leaning forward a little in his seat, his eyes fixated on Tom's face.

"She is an Animagus. An unregistered Animagus, that is." Tom said, "I think Hermione might be the only other person to know besides myself and now you. I only tell you this because it shows that Nagini is indeed an extremely potent witch, and possesses many hidden talents. She is not someone to be taken lightly, sir."

"Indeed she is not." Dumbledore confirmed gravely, "That is a serious issue, Tom. I am under obligation to report it to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, but as I have not witnessed it first-hand, I have no proof of her being unregistered. It is an issue which I will have to think about. If I might ask, though, what is her form?" Tom did not answer right away, and Hermione hesitated as well, not sure where Tom wanted to go with this. Would he tell the truth or lie? What game was he playing here?

"A serpent, true to her House." Tom finally responded, and Dumbledore's face darkened,

"I see." He responded softly, and an uncomfortable silence settled over the office. He spoke again after a few moments, "I believe that you two should be off to class. My class, actually. I will let you two go first so that Nagini does not see that we have been talking. I suppose I should ask both of you to not say a word of this conversation to anyone."

"Of course, professor." Hermione replied instantly, still feeling uneasy. She stood up, Tom following suit,

"We'll be off, then." Tom said, turning his back, "Good-bye, professor." Hermione followed him out of the room, waiting until they walked a good distance away from the door until she looked up at him.

"What was that about?" She asked softly.

"Shh." Tom said quietly, grabbing her hand and pulling her into an empty classroom, casting a Silencing charm around them, "Isn't it obvious, Hermione? Nagini tried to frame me."

"Technically, she was telling the truth." Hermione pointed out, crossing her arms. Tom rolled his eyes,

"Well, fine, technically she was. But why? Why would Nagini be trying to get me in serious trouble?" He asked rhetorically, and Hermione could not come up with an answer. Neither could Tom, apparently, since he continued to look confused, "No matter. I got her back."

"Got her back?" Hermione asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"I've repaid her kindness of framing me. Dumbledore believes exactly what I want him to believe." Tom said with a shrug, sitting down on the teacher's desk in the empty classroom.

"And what is that?" Hermione asked suspiciously. Once again, Tom rolled his eyes,

"Think, Hermione." He chided, and she huffed in irritation. The flicker of a grin crossed his lips before he continued, "I let it slip to Dumbledore that Nagini is an unregistered Animagus, and that her animal form happens to be a serpent _true to her house_." He said, emphasizing the last part. It suddenly clicked, and understanding dawned on Hermione's face, her mouth opening a little,

"Tom. . . you can't just _do_ that. . ." She said in disbelief. Tom smiled triumphantly,

"Yes, I can, and I did. Why wouldn't he believe it? Her animagus form is a snake, her family heritage is questionable at best, she speaks Parseltongue, an extremely rare gift, prominent in Salazaar Slytherin himself. . . who wouldn't believe that Nagini is the Heir of Slytherin?" Tom asked, his grin widening.

"You've already framed one person for opening the Chamber. Why would you do it again?" Hermione demanded, confused. Tom's gaze darkened,

"Because Nagini attempted to stab me in the back, and I do not forgive." He paused, "I never forgive, and I never forget. Those who hurt me pay. That, I promise you."

**Author's Note: Chapter 26 is here at last! The past few weeks have been very crazy for me, so I apologize for the update time.**

**Hermione and Nagini's relationship is definitely starting to unravel the slightest bit, and Tom doesn't seem to trust Nagini any more at all. I think that you can look for some shifting allegiances in the next few chapters and, of course, the return of Malfoy, Lestrange, and Black. **

**Cheers!**


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